Education minister Leighton Andrews took the unprecedented action to remove responsibility for education from Merthyr Council following a damning report from inspectorate Estyn.
He said he had no confidence in Merthyr Council to resolve the problems itself. A number of options, including creating a merged education service with a neighbouring authority, are being considered.
A second failing council, Monmouthshire, has been given some extra time to improve but the minister wants an independent recovery board to monitor progress.
While the NASUWT branded the minister’s response to Merthyr “knee-jerk”, Dr Philip Dixon, director of ATL Cymru, backed the minister’s intervention.
Mr Andrews has called for improvements from all councils in the wake of new figures which reveal that of 18 local authorities inspected, five were good, six adequate, two in need of significant improvement and five require special measures.
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