**Calls to Reintroduce Home Economics in Welsh Schools amid Broader Reform Pledges**
The teaching of home economics in Welsh schools could soon be back on the curriculum if the Welsh Conservatives have their way. The party, led by Darren Millar MS, unveiled an ambitious suite of policy proposals at their recent conference in Llangollen, with Millar stating it was “time to bring back essential life skills” to the country’s classrooms. The move is positioned as part of a wider push to address what the party describes as “years of decline” across Welsh public services.
In a keynote address, Millar was outspoken in his assessment of Labour’s long-term political dominance in Wales, citing persistent NHS waiting times, educational underachievement, and high unemployment as core evidence of failings. “After 26 years of Labour, Wales is broken,” he commented, adding that the country deserved “so much better”.
Education, and particularly the development of practical skills, took centre stage in the conference’s announcements. Natasha Asghar, the shadow education secretary, detailed plans to relaunch home economics. The aim, she argued, is to ensure that all pupils gain confidence in vital skills such as cooking nutritious meals and managing household budgets—abilities that are increasingly viewed as central to navigating modern life.
Other proposed disciplinary measures include an immediate expulsion for students caught carrying weapons, a zero-tolerance stance on violence, tighter behaviour policies, and a ban on mobile phones during class to boost concentration. These reforms are designed, the Conservatives assert, to reset standards in schools which, according to international PISA tests, are lagging behind the rest of the UK.
The return of home economics is being framed as both a cultural and practical shift. Supporters of the measure say it will better prepare young people for adulthood, particularly at a time when cost-of-living pressures and unhealthy diets have become urgent national concerns. Critics, however, caution that curriculum changes alone will not resolve deeper structural problems in Welsh education.
The party’s policy platform extended well beyond education. In health, the Welsh Conservatives pledged to declare a “health emergency” focused on cutting waiting times and guaranteeing that no one waits more than twelve months for treatment. They also promised a public inquiry into high-profile failures in health board management, as well as the creation of an NHS Leadership Register to stop dismissed managers being re-employed elsewhere.
Economically, Millar announced plans to reduce business rates for high street firms and scrap them entirely for small businesses—a move designed to support local enterprise. Further, the party is committed to cutting the basic rate of tax by a penny, promising the average family a £450 annual saving.
Transport featured among the pledges, with promises to reverse the default 20mph speed limit in urban areas, unlock stalled road infrastructure projects, and prioritise repairs to existing roads before expanding cycle paths.
Underlying these proposals is an explicit rejection of additional devolution of powers from Westminster to Cardiff Bay, with Millar taking direct aim at Plaid Cymru, the Liberal Democrats, and even other opposition parties for enabling what he characterised as “wasteful” Labour budgets.
Observers note that such broad policy initiatives represent an attempt by the Welsh Conservatives to position themselves as the only viable alternative to the incumbent Labour administration ahead of the 2026 election. Whether the focus on traditional skills like home economics will resonate with Welsh voters remains to be seen, but it is clear the party is seeking to capitalise on both nostalgia and frustration with current conditions.
In summary, the Welsh Conservatives’ call for the return of home economics teaching forms just one element in a much larger political strategy. Whether or not these promises can translate into electoral gains, discussions around education reform and life skills in schools seem poised to play a central role in upcoming debates on the future of Wales.