Altaf Hussain: Thank you, First Minister. First Minister, the pandemic has shone a harsh light on inequalities in Wales, and much of this was seen through the delivery of our education system while parents struggled to be both parent and teacher for their children, and also when the welfare of children became a concern during a prolonged absence from the classroom. The crisis now with the cost of living is...
Altaf Hussain: Minister, last week, BBC Wales carried a story featuring a range of concerns from the Bevan Foundation about the roll-out of the Welsh Government's free-school-meals option for all primary schools, which is to be commenced in September. Many schools simply don't have the infrastructure to offer a meal to all pupils. There will be limitations on kitchens, seating and staffing capacity. Before...
Altaf Hussain: ...the days leading to it. As an adopted Welshman, I am proud of our nation's contribution to defending our freedom, for the sacrifices made then and now. The Royal British Legion has a range of free educational resources for schools to share the importance of remembrance with people. What discussions has the First Minister had with the Royal British Legion to assess its impact in our...
Altaf Hussain: 4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to deliver first-class school education in Wales? OQ58197
Altaf Hussain: ...words of Malala Yousafzai, a truly inspirational young woman, born on 12 July 1997 in the Swat valley in Pakistan. When she was just 11 years old the Taleban took over her village and closed her school. She decided, even at that young age, that she would not give up her education without a fight. She spoke out publicly on behalf of girls and their right to learn. And she was shot in the...
Altaf Hussain: ...administration of this will happen in two stages. Teachers, however, are not in the first stage and, in my view, ought to be. I accept that this is a challenge, but we owe a lot to the staff in our schools who have done so much to support children during this pandemic, and now in making sure that their education recovers. We should have a statement in the Chamber outlining the Government's...
Altaf Hussain: Minister, local authorities are responsible for agreeing school budgets, and energy is one of the big costs our schools face. In many schools we see big old boilers that are very expensive to run. What assessments have you made, together with local authorities, of the costs now facing schools as we look to the next six and 12 months? And what measures are you considering to ensure that our...
Altaf Hussain: ...in place to ensure support for those who are travelling home? The Prime Minister also announced free English courses and university scholarships; what discussions has she had with partners in the education and higher education sectors about the scope and resources needed to provide similar support to those settling in Wales? Last: what contact has she had with colleagues in the United...
Altaf Hussain: Minister, in 2011, the Welsh Government published a circular called 'Measuring the capacity of schools in Wales', to support local authorities to plan school places, to report on surplus capacity and to set school admission numbers. Now, using data, as my colleague Sarah Murphy has rightly said—we use data to plan our school places—is vital, like birth rates, the number of new-build...
Altaf Hussain: ...this debate this afternoon. Migraine is a curse for those who suffer from it. In adults, it can be debilitating, but for young people, adolescents in particular, it can have a major impact on their schooling, their families and their social lives. Deputy Presiding Officer, I am not entirely sure what the current Welsh Government guidance is for schools on managing migraine. I could not...
Altaf Hussain: Minister, since you will be in Bridgend, I would recommend you also to see a school in my ward, Pen-y-fai. Minister, it is relatively straightforward to set targets for our new school and college buildings, and ensuring that they contribute to our net-zero carbon target is not something that ought to cause many problems. The bigger challenge is that many of our school buildings were built in...
Altaf Hussain: ...more than giving voice to their trade union masters, true social partnership puts people and social inclusion at the heart of decision making. The social partnership network brings together higher education institutions who share common values related to lifelong learning and social mobility. It is a commitment to creating strategies and activities that contribute to a more diverse higher...
Altaf Hussain: Minister, the Welsh Government has set out a carbon reduction target of 37 per cent by 2025, and 67 per cent by 2030. What assessments has the Minister undertaken of the current carbon output of our schools and what investment is needed by him to support all schools to reach his Government's carbon reduction targets?
Altaf Hussain: ..., we know that having the right number of qualified and well-supported professionals in the health and social care sector is vital for the delivery of high-quality services. Our higher and further education colleges are key to ensuring we can attract, inspire and train people in the range of health and care disciplines we need. They do a superb job. Looking specifically at further...
Altaf Hussain: ..., we have to question whether we are doing enough to encourage self-employment. I was, therefore, pleased to see a scheme run by the Bridgend Business Forum, in conjunction with the Rebel Business School, to offer free training to young people on how to start a business. Minister, will the Welsh Government monitor the scheme and look at ways to either replicate it across Wales or even...
Altaf Hussain: ...aware of the challenges that many people face in this workplace, because of their ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation. Recently, the British Medical Association published a charter for medical schools to prevent and address racial harassment. The charter addresses four specific areas: supporting individuals to speak out; ensuring robust processes for reporting and handling complaints;...
Altaf Hussain: I was wondering, you're doing such a great job in introducing these school meals, but what we are missing here is: can there be classes teaching these children how to cook? And that should be one of the steps, so that we don't go on and on for these, and it should not be free. There might be then a time we can put an end to it.
Altaf Hussain: ...crimes and, quite possibly, genocide in Ukraine. The world cannot sit idly by and allow these atrocities to happen. I would like to thank the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust as well as the Holocaust Educational Trust for their invaluable work in educating future generations about the Holocaust and, more recently, crimes against humanity. Sadly, not everyone heeds these lessons, and we have...
Altaf Hussain: 5. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Health and Social Services and further and higher education institutions about developing training for social care professionals? OQ58738
Altaf Hussain: Minister, last month, I was delighted to donate three defibrillators—two to primary schools in Bridgend and one to Brynawel rehab centre. And it is to highlight, really, yet again the importance of building our Wales-wide network and number of defibrillators in the fight to save lives. Can the Government, as part of this ongoing mission, also commit to reviving progress within the next 12...
