WALES will not be returning to O-level style exams, according to education minister for Wales Leighton Andrews.

Education secretary Michael Gove is preparing to scrap GCSEs in England from autumn 2014. Mr Andrews responded by saying Wales would not be bringing backO-levels.

The proposed changes would amount to the biggest change to the exams system for 26 years.

Mr Andrews said he found out about Mr Gove’s idea on Twitter on Wednesday night.

He said: “I think it’s a bonkers way of proceeding.

GCSEs are a very good qualification and well respected.”

He added: “We certainly won’t be bringing back Olevels.

“What we want is a qualification system that is easily understood by parents, students and people in business.

“We will make our own decisions in our own time, on the basis of evidence supplied to us.”

A Welsh Government review of the qualification system for teenagers is under way.

It is consulting on whether completely new qualifications for 14-16-year-olds should replace GCSEs or whether Wales should follow what happens in England.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “If it emerges that there are some issues that need to be addressed, then whatever decisions we make will be announced in conventional ways and we will ensure that counterparts in England and Northern Ireland are well aware of our intentions before such announcements are made.”

Torfaen MP Paul Murphy said: “This ‘back to the future’ proposal is just the latest sign of Michael Gove’s outdated obsessions.

“I’m pleased that our own education minister in Wales, Leighton Andrews, is taking a more evidence-based approach, looking at what works instead of pursuing Government by Daily Mail headline.

“Weneed to be relentless at driving up standards, but dividing children at 14 and denying many chances at that age is unfair and does not work – that’s why even Maggie Thatcher recognised the need to abolish the old Olevel/ CSE divide.

“What about those who develop later and then flourish, for example?

“Perhaps the GCSE system does need investigating, but let’s look at the evidence instead of trying to grab headlines.”