New Technology and Innovation

Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd at 2:23 pm on 17 October 2018.

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Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat 2:23, 17 October 2018

I suspect all Members in this Chamber have the equivalent of your eight-year-old nephew who assists them in these matters. I know I certainly do. The Member is absolutely right to draw our attention to the importance of ensuring that our children are well equipped to take advantage of these economic opportunities that are becoming increasingly available. That's why we have invested £1.3 million in the teaching of coding in our schools. That's why the digital competence framework is the first part of our new curriculum to be made available to our educational establishments, and I'm delighted that we have been able to work with the Higher Education Council for Wales to establish the Institute of Coding, which will allow Cardiff and Swansea universities to become even more active members of that very important consortium.

We are also working collaboratively with the higher education sector to broaden the computer science skills we have at all levels in our communities, so that whether you're a schoolchild, whether you're a student at FE or HE, or indeed the adult learners that Eluned Morgan talked about earlier, access to digital skills continues to be a priority.