Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd at 2:03 pm on 28 September 2016.
I’m very happy to continue the discussion on that if the Member has some suggestions that she’d like to make. But may I say this? There has been a great deal of discussion as to where we are at present since Professor Sioned Davies’s report was published. There will be fundamental changes introduced over the next few years, and therefore there won’t be a lost period, as some have suggested, but there will be a transition period from where we were to where we will be. The discussions that the Member described have taken place and will continue to happen, and I’m more than happy to continue and enhance the discussions with those groups that she mentioned and others, if need be. But may I say this? My priority is to ensure that people leave school with the ability to speak and use the Welsh language, not just so they can pass an exam at 16, but so that they are able to use and speak Welsh during their lifetime. Therefore we are moving in quite a fundamental way to change the way in which teach the Welsh language.