MERGING with another authority could be the future for a Valleys education department which has “systemic weaknesses,” a minister said.

Leighton Andrews, for minister for children, education and lifelong learning, is considering his options after the Estyn report yesterday said control of education will not be given back to Blaenau Gwent council, and will stay in the hands of Welsh Government-appointed commissioner Bethan Guilfoyle while their education department stays in special measures.

He said: “There are systemic weaknesses in the authority and therefore I can have no confidence that Blaenau Gwent will resolve these problems itself, even with support from my commissioner.

“I am minded to consider alternative interventions, including the option to create a merged education service with another local authority.”

Yesterday, the Argus revealed that despite two years of government assistance and scrutiny, Estyn criticised the pace of improvement in Blaenau Gwent as too slow.

In 2011, the council was stripped of executive powers over education, placed in special measures and a board from Neath Port Talbot council was set up to run the department.

Four Welsh Assembly Government commissioners were brought in to bring standards up to scratch, although that number was reduced to one in December, and the county now shares a chief education officer with Newport.

Blaenau Gwent is one of six Welsh authorities with education departments in special measures, including Anglesey, Merthyr, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire and Torfaen.

Owen Hathaway, spokesman for the NUT called for issues to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Council leader Hedley McCarthy insisted the authority “will not falter in the face of any difficult decisions”.

Blaenau Gwent AM Alun Davies said he was disappointed by the findings, while Nick Smith MP said the Assembly is right to make its presence felt until Blaenau Gwent can prove its education system gets pupils ready for the real world.

Plaid Cymru education spokesman, Simon Thomas AM said children in the county have been “badly let down”.

The council has 49 days to drawup an action plan to fix the problems.

Mr Andrews will meet the Blaenau Gwent commissioner on Monday and will discuss the matters with the minister for local government Lesley Griffiths.

A major review of education services across Wales which started in January has nowconcluded and a response from the minister is expected next month, which could see major changes to school leadership, governance and funding, subject to consultation.