, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
As the Member, I think, knows from our previous discussions, I met Lord Mann, who is the UK Government's adviser on antisemitism, to discuss the approach in relation to educational institutions. I met also with the Union of Jewish Students, and with the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism—which, as the Member knows, the Welsh Government itself has done—is a matter for universities and FE institutions themselves. However, whilst I respect institutional…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Of course, there is some relationship between providing incentives and an increase in numbers—it’s not entirely clear, but the general picture does demonstrate that there is a positive interrelationship between the two. I would say that this is one of the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I don’t have those figures in front of me, but I would be happy to share them with the Member.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Duolingo is one of the means that people use to access the Welsh language—one of the many means, of course—and it continues to be an attractive route, for reasons we could fully understand. I have written to Duolingo, asking them to reconsider the decision…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
The particular steps that the university took are a matter for them, but, certainly, I disagree with the comments made by the professor, as many others do. But what I would say is that, for every individual who's looking to criticise the use of the Welsh…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
First of all, may I thank the Member for that question? It is in line with the emphasis that he gives, and I applaud him for that, in ensuring that the Welsh language is accessible to all and that we welcome everyone who seeks to learn and use the Welsh…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
The Member is right: fairness and consistency of inspections obviously are essential to build public confidence in the Welsh education system. The Member obviously knows that Estyn is an independent body, but I'm aware that Estyn has a range of processes in…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
The Member is absolutely right about how important literacy broadly, but punctuation and grammar as part of that, is. It's absolutely essential that our young people are able to leave school confident in their literacy and in their use of punctuation and…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Estyn provides an important annual independent assessment of the quality of education and training provision in Wales. I welcome the chief inspector providing an early insight into inspection findings, as last year. It is important that we take time to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I thank the Member for the question. I know that he and his party do not in fact support this policy at all, but just to give some assurance to those who do support the policy, the funding that has been released, which is £11.5 million from a budget of £70…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I thank the Member for acknowledging the context in terms of the pressures on our expenditure and the reasons for that, and I would agree with his analysis with regard to those reasons. In terms of the cuts, the figures from my department, of course, are…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I have protected front-line services in schools, colleges and universities, and revenue reductions have been identified through a review of demand-led budgets and uncommitted funding across my portfolio. To reduce the impact on services, I have made decisions…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Attendance Guidance
Thank you. Both of those issues are absolutely critical. On the question of exclusions, I couldn't agree more with the point that Jenny Rathbone made about—. You know, exclusion is an inappropriate response to the vast majority of circumstances, isn't it, and…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Attendance Guidance
I thank Jayne Bryant for her points on behalf of the committee. The guidance is intended to get to the heart of exactly that set of challenges that she describes in her questions: how can all the various partners who have a role to play in ensuring improved…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Attendance Guidance
I thank Sioned Williams for those questions. The guidance is new, but the focus on absence certainly isn't, and I would agree with the point that NEU Cymru has made in terms of how important this is. I was at their conference on Sunday morning having that…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Attendance Guidance
Well, there are a series of rhetorical points, I think, in the Member's contribution, but where there were questions, I'll seek to address them. I don't think it's helpful to aim to politicise what is a complex and multifaceted issue. It is a challenge that…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Attendance Guidance
Significantly, the guidance now changes the statistical definition of ‘persistent’ absence, which is currently defined as more than 20 per cent. This measure is often set as the trigger for certain kinds of intervention such as the involvement of the…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Attendance Guidance
Thank you, Llywydd. Members will be aware of the importance that I attach to improving attendance rates at our schools. I remain concerned that, since the pandemic, too many young people are missing out on invaluable school time. This can impact on their…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Update on Taith—The International Learning Exchange Programme for Wales
I very much like that idea. I think that would mean that Wales, once again, played an important part in the creation of that international exchange network. I think he's absolutely right, though, to reflect on, as Alun Davies did, his experience of being in…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Update on Taith—The International Learning Exchange Programme for Wales
Thank you, Alun Davies, for those questions. I think, at its heart, Taith is much more than an education exchange programme, a technical programme; it's a question of values and vision, I think. There is a reason why, when he goes and when I go to Brussels…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Update on Taith—The International Learning Exchange Programme for Wales
I thank Heledd Fychan for those important questions. It’s certainly true, isn’t it, that in any time of financial austerity—it’s not a situation of austerity that we’ve chosen, but it is the situation in front of us—one of the things that falls off the list…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Update on Taith—The International Learning Exchange Programme for Wales
I thank Laura Anne Jones for those questions. I'm not seeking to find opportunities to compare the scheme with the Turing scheme, because I think they're both just fundamentally different things, and I think the scheme, if you are to draw comparisons, that…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Update on Taith—The International Learning Exchange Programme for Wales
I hope therefore it is clear to you all from the stories I’ve mentioned today that this programme is having a profound impact on individuals. These journeys change lives, and I look forward to updating the Chamber once again and telling you more of these…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Update on Taith—The International Learning Exchange Programme for Wales
As well as benefiting the individual, Taith, importantly, facilitates educational innovation and supports wider Welsh Government objectives through the pathway 2 partnerships and strategic collaboration funding stream, which will reopen for applications on…
