Post-16 Education

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Education – in the Senedd at 1:37 pm on 12 February 2020.

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Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat 1:37, 12 February 2020

Well, Presiding Officer, I'm immensely proud of the success and the achievements of the FE sector in Wales. The fact that nominations have been made for six colleges, in total, from Wales in the TES 2020 awards is a testament to the good work that is going on across the sector. And I'd like to wish Merthyr College, and indeed other colleges that are nominated, all the very best when those awards take place on 20 March. The Member is right to draw attention to the issue of the successful use of EU funds by the FE sector. I wish I could give the Member some reassurance as to the continuation of those funding streams. Of course, that will be dependent on our calls as a Government for replacement funding from the UK Government to be met. In the meantime, we're continuing to work closely and productively with our stakeholders across Wales to put in place successor arrangements for Wales. And an important part of that is our regional investment for Wales's steering group, chaired by Huw Irranca-Davies, of which FE colleges are a part. And that forms an important part of that work, as we look to the future, now, to protect those particular funding streams and those successful programmes.