Siân Gwenllian: It's crucial, of course, that no child is left behind and that every child gets the best possible education under the current circumstances. Our teachers have been very flexible indeed and have done excellent work, but are you confident that every child is engaging with his or her education? Does every child have a device, access to broadband, a space to work in and sufficient support in...
Siân Gwenllian: I have grave doubts about the reopening of schools at the end of June. It's too soon. Many parents and teachers, as well as children and young people, will also be concerned. The test and trace system is not in place as of yet. We don't know quite how this virus works and how it transmits between children and from children to adults. And I think garnering the confidence of families that it's...
Siân Gwenllian: ...you, Llywydd. The establishment of a robust test, tracing and isolating system for all aspects of COVID have to be at the heart of any plans for lifting the restrictions, including the reopening of schools. The public need very clear messages about the process, and we need robust arrangements in place for the isolation period, as well as appropriate arrangements so that people can isolate...
Siân Gwenllian: ...on the number of Welsh speakers will be incomplete. Will your Government oppose the use of sampling in Wales as part of the 2021 census? Finally, it appears that your Government will introduce the education curriculum Bill over the next few weeks. Can you confirm that you, as Minister for the Welsh language, will carry out a thorough assessment of the impact of the Bill on the Welsh...
Siân Gwenllian: ...be related to coronavirus? Can you confirm whether there have been any cases in Wales, and, if there have been, or if any do emerge, what would the implications of that be on your plans to reopen schools? Just a few questions to close about testing educational workers: yesterday, it emerged that only 15 teachers across Wales have been tested for COVID. Now, education workers are supposed...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the staff in our educational establishments, to parents, pupils and students for responding so responsibly to this crisis and for being so flexible in dealing with a new way of learning and teaching. One of the greatest challenges is to try and ensure that no child suffers as a result of this crisis,...
Siân Gwenllian: ...in order to allow more volunteers to help, but we must also bear in mind what the purposes of those checks are, namely to safeguard the most vulnerable people and children amongst us. Now, with schools, I agree entirely that schools need to remain open, but it can place huge stress on teachers, and the teaching unions do have concerns about the health of their members although, of course,...
Siân Gwenllian: .... When will we have an assurance that everyone will be able to access appropriate equipment? Have you looked at the possibility of using military equipment for this work? Now, in turning to education—forgive me, I do know that it isn't specifically your responsibility, but there are questions arising here too—if I could start with children in receipt of free school meals, you have said...
Siân Gwenllian: ...a couple of things that haven’t been answered. I've asked them already—I’m sorry, I’ve asked you a lot of questions, I know—but I think this is important. What are the guidelines for the schools that have already closed? We know that there is a list of schools that have told parents that they’ve already closed this week. Will they be expected to reopen in their new role? And...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you very much. We are very grateful, of course, to the teachers and the other staff in our schools in this period. They are also key workers and their role is expected to change as they move forward, and we appreciate that great flexibility that is going to be needed now. So, could I ask you about the teachers and the assistant teachers? What will be their role in the new arrangements...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you very much. Could I also welcome the announcement that you made at 1 o’clock today that schools will close for statutory provision? But, of course, we need clarity urgently and clear guidelines from you for the schools about what the definition will be now of a school—what the role of our schools will be as we move forward. They won't need to do the statutory provision, but they...
Siân Gwenllian: So, what exactly are the guidelines of the Government for schools that are going to be finding themselves in the situation where there is a large percentage of staff—nearly half of the staff, in this case—finding themselves in the vulnerable category? And what is the Government saying to those schools when they find themselves in that situation? And what are the guidelines for safe...
Siân Gwenllian: I want to ask about three areas: two relating to health, but if you will forgive me, one is to do with education, because there is no opportunity to discuss education here this afternoon, and also because a development has reached us in the last half an hour. We’ve become aware that there is a school that has closed its doors already to pupils. Ysgol Brynhyfryd in Ruthin has found that 23...
Siân Gwenllian: Now, it is a very concerning time for everyone, of course, including parents, teachers, pupils and workers in our schools. I am trying to put myself in their shoes here. We know that schools will need to close for the majority of pupils in due course, and that’s inevitable to prevent the spread of the virus. Now, anyone who says differently, I'm sorry, they are burying their heads in the...
Siân Gwenllian: At a recent meeting of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, a psychiatric consultant and medical director for mental health at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said that it appears that, 'we probably need about four beds of a mother and baby unit' in north Wales. He went on to say that the board was willing to pilot a new model of care. Now, what becomes clear,...
Siân Gwenllian: ...Government than there was just a few months ago, and I do welcome that. We need holistic solutions: preventative work; more funding for mental health services; and a multi-agency focus within our schools. Reducing numbers does require comprehensive solutions. We may need legislative changes. We certainly need to look at the courts processes, and we need to look at how kinship care is...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you very much, and I do look forward to seeing the upshot of that work, because the teachers are our most important, valuable asset in our schools, of course. Given the million Welsh speakers strategy and the importance of Welsh-medium education to the success of that particular aim, the recruitment of teachers who can teach through the medium of Welsh is a specific concern, isn't it?...
Siân Gwenllian: ...in a number of different ways. Welsh Government statistics show that 40 per cent less than the target set for trainees in the secondary sector are in place, for example, and recent reports by the Education Workforce Council demonstrate that there are more assistants than teachers in our schools now. Now, I know that you're highly aware of this problem, which has been discussed over a...
Siân Gwenllian: ...like to understand what this new policy’s relationship will be with the siarter iaith framework within the new curriculum, because this is another innovative approach that encourages children in schools the length and breadth of the country to speak Welsh outside the classroom. Therefore, clearly, those children could go on to being parents that transmit the Welsh language to their own...
Siân Gwenllian: ...clarity on all of this, please. Two brief questions to conclude: there's an additional £14 million in 2020-1 for FE colleges. How much of that additional budget will be provided to Welsh-medium education? And then, as a result of additional funding for HE and apprenticeships next year, how much additional funding will the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol have in order to expand Welsh-medium...
