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Welsh Conservatives Debate: The Welsh language
Yes, I will.
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Welsh Conservatives Debate: The Welsh language
Well, happy St David's Day to everyone. We should remember that the Welsh language isn't just for St David's Day, but for every day, and, whatever Welsh you do have, do make use of that Welsh language every chance you get: use, use, use—that's the solution. I…
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Welsh Conservatives Debate: The Welsh language
Formally.
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Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Education Maintenance Allowance
However, Dirprwy Lywydd, I understand the concerns that EMA has not increased for some time, and welcome the views that Members have expressed on where we can further improve our commitment to young people. I appreciate that young people are also very much…
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Education Maintenance Allowance
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Members will be aware from previous debates and questions on this issue that we as a Government recognise the positive impact that the EMA can have on young people, and we are still committed, in accordance with the programme for…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Further Education Digital Learning
That's an important question. Of course, the main purpose of this is to ensure that the way that we educate learners is as broad as possible, so that people have enhanced opportunities to access diverse courses, and there'll be different demands in different…
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Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Further Education Digital Learning
I thank the Member for those questions. I know that she will welcome the work that's already being done to increase the numbers able to teach the sciences, maths and computing, including through the medium of Welsh, and that includes financial incentives…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Further Education Digital Learning
Yes, certainly. As part of the investment of over £30 million that we've made into the expansion of digital provision by the FE sector in recent years—that will be the figure by the end of the 2024-25 academic year—one of they key criteria for investment of…
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Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Further Education Digital Learning
I’m expecting that colleges’ strategic plans will identify longer term ambitions for digital learning, but will focus more closely on the period from 2023 to 2025, whilst the new commission for tertiary education and research is being established. Digital…
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Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Further Education Digital Learning
The aims of 'Cymraeg 2050', our strategy for increasing the number of Welsh speakers, are very important to this too. The Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol has been working with a range of activities to increase use of the Welsh language, and also to increase…
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Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Further Education Digital Learning
I want our further education sector in Wales to be at the leading edge of innovation, creativity and collaboration. I am very pleased to see many examples of this type of activity in our FE sector. Our colleges are sharing knowledge and experiences of…
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Statement by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Further Education Digital Learning
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Over the past three years, we have seen a step change in the development of digital learning, on a scale that we could never have anticipated before the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to pay tribute to the dedication of our staff and…
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Debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s Report—'Pupil absence'
The link between attendance and educational attainment is, of course, clear. Missing sustained periods of school presents a real risk to a child's attainment, and can also lead to them feeling more disengaged from their education. Monitoring educational…
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Debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s Report—'Pupil absence'
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to thank the members of the Children, Young People and Education Committee for this important report. What's clear to me in considering the recommendations is the importance of considering attendance along with other…
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
Well, none of us want to hear the sorts of examples that Mark Isherwood has described in his question today, and if there are any of those that he wishes to write to me about specifically, I'd be happy to take that up. In relation to ensuring the reforms are…
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
We continue to support neurodiverse pupils. Both the additional learning needs system and the Curriculum for Wales put children and young people's needs at the centre through person-centred planning and supporting individuals' progression.
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
Well, as he knows, we make available funding to local authorities in relation to the decarbonisation of the school estate—I'll have some more to say about that in the coming weeks, as it happens—as well as making sure that all new schools built using Welsh…
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
Well, the cost-of-living crisis is having, and will continue to have, significant financial impacts on all public services, including our schools. School budgets are, of course, for local authorities to determine. They are best placed to work with their…
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
Well, it's very important, isn't it, as well as being able to allocate significant funding, that we make sure it's being spent in a way that is both effective and also provides good evidence to others of how to best spend that money. Of course, the funding is…
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
Certainly. Community-focused schools are at the heart of our agenda to tackle the impact of poverty on attainment. In 2022-23—this financial year—we provided £3.84 million for family engagement officers, £660,000 for community-focused school manager posts…
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
Well, I thank Jane Dodds for that question. The accounts are something that I'm a great fan of personally, and I've increased the budget for them substantially. It is important that we continue to provide opportunities whereby people in work can renew and…
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
Altaf Hussain makes a very important point in relation to the changing nature of our economy and how difficult it can be sometimes to anticipate those changes. What that tells me is that we need to make sure our young people are equipped for any change in…
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
I look forward to the debate that we're going to have in the forthcoming weeks in relation to education maintenance allowance, in particular. He will know from my previous appearances at these questions and in the discussions we've had that the real pressure…
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
Discussions with the Minister for Economy have principally focused on how the education system supports the skills agenda and the young person's guarantee. Also just this week, Cabinet discussed the question of net-zero skills, including the role of education…
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Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language
The report to which she refers in her question is an important contribution to the discussion and to the debate, and it certainly reflected, at least in broad terms, our own understanding of the challenges that we face in parts of the system. She will recall…
