, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 10
Thank you very much, Chair, and thank you very much for the evidence that we've received as a committee—extremely useful evidence. A number of questions that I will want to ask will be asked by other people later on, but just on the point of the Bill making…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Okay, thank you very much.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Okay. Thank you.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Okay. And the final question: the late-immersion education centres have been a normal provision in many counties, particularly in west and north Wales, to integrate those people who have moved into the area and provide a second opportunity to children who…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Okay, if I could move on to a different issue, the Bill currently provides an opportunity for primarily English language schools to apply for an exemption from the requirement to provide 10 per cent for two periods. Do you think that is fair?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
What are your thoughts about setting a target in the Bill, if I can ask that specific question?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Anything to add?
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Right. Thank you.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Thank you. You have mentioned a few times the challenge in terms of developing a sufficient and adequate bilingual workforce, and have suggested, perhaps, that the success of this Bill depends to a great degree on having that bilingual workforce in place. Do…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Thank you.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Just one more question, if I may. You mentioned the possible tensions that could arise as a result of implementing this Bill, and I can understand that, to an extent. But do you think, therefore, that the essence of this Bill in terms of ensuring that every…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
—thank you for now.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
I'll come back to the workforce later on in the session, but—
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Thank you very much, Chair, and thank you for your evidence to the committee. Now, from what you've said in response to a previous question, I assume that you are supportive of the aim of creating a million Welsh speakers. I'm sure you're happy with the…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
Thank you, Chair. As usual, I declare that as designated Member I was involved in the development of this draft Bill, which was part of the co-operation agreement between Plaid Cymru and the Government.
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Education funding
I finish with this, Dirprwy Lywydd. Could I just say this to the Government? if you can’t deliver education of a high quality to our children, then step aside to let a party with the vision and commitment to do so in your place. It’s about time for us to have…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Education funding
I think what’s been made clear over the course of this debate is that Labour in Wales have presided over a decline in school standards made worse by a failure to get to grips with a recruitment and retention crisis in teaching and the lack of a fair funding…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Education funding
So, let me finish, Dirprwy Lywydd, by saying this: we can’t support the amendment of the Government, because it doesn’t provide any certainty to us in terms of how things are going to improve in terms of funding education in Wales.
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Education funding
I'll just finish off with the Cabinet Secretary's point. We've had a list of commitments—to be welcomed, of course, but it's too little too late for a generation of young people. Twenty-five years we’ve been having poor results in Wales.
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Education funding
You said that poverty leads to mental health problems and lower attendance levels, and this restricts young people’s ambition, and that’s very important.
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Education funding
Let me just focus on two in particular. The PISA results speak for themselves, but also GCSE results. Heledd mentioned that England is 30 points better off in disadvantaged areas than Wales. That is staggering when you think about that. It leads me to the…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Education funding
Across the board.
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Education funding
Sorry—yes, of course.
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Education funding
Tom, you mentioned in your analysis that the report by NAHT was shocking but not surprising, and I think we would all allude to that. You were talking about a reduction in teaching staff and also subject areas taught. The one line that resonates with me—back…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Education funding
Heledd Fychan mentioned absences. That affects the educational attainment of children. And one interesting thing that you said was that schools live with financial deficits. That is the new normal in our education system—having to live with those. That's…
