4. 3. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:01 pm on 23 May 2017.

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Photo of Bethan Sayed Bethan Sayed Plaid Cymru 3:01, 23 May 2017

(Translated)

I wanted to ask for a statement, either from the Minister for education or the Minister with responsibility for Welsh language—I’m not sure which is responsible—on the fact that I received a message over social media, along with a number of other Assembly Members, on the fact that Warwick university’s history department didn’t recognise the Welsh language A-level as a qualification to enable students to study at that university. It says:

‘Graddau AAA Safon Uwch mewn 3 phwnc, gan gynnwys Hanes. Nid yw’r cynnig yn cynnwys Cymraeg, Astudiaethau Cyffredinol '.

I do believe that that has caused some anger for people in my area and people across the whole of Wales, and I would like to hear whether any study has been carried out by Government to see what universities are doing in that regard, or whether this is isolated to the history department in Warwick. Because I don’t think it’s acceptable for universities to treat a Welsh language A-level as being secondary to other courses. I would welcome any correspondence or communication on that issue.

The second question is—and I do declare an interest in this, because my sister is now taking her A-levels at the moment—I’ve received some correspondence from a number of young people who say that, although the exams happen over a lengthy period of time up until the end of July, many people have three examinations on a single day, and they are all two-hour long examinations. There may be time in the timetable to ensure that they shouldn’t have to sit three exams in one day, because that places a huge amount of stress on young people. We know that young people take their studies very seriously and many of the young people who’ve approached me feel under even greater pressure as a result of this. I would like a statement, again, from the education Minister—not that I’m picking on her—in order to ensure that, in future, if there are clashes—. Even if there are two exams in one day, that’s fine, but having three exams on a single day is too much for your people to be able to prepare for, when there is scope within the timetable to ensure that that shouldn’t happen.