Part of 3. Questions to the Minister for Education – in the Senedd at 3:59 pm on 10 February 2021.
Thank you. At the moment, at the moment, Minister, there is only Welsh-medium school in Blaenau Gwent, and travel there is a barrier, particularly for younger children. Obviously, parents don't want to put three-year-olds on two different buses to go to a school which is two valleys away. And local campaigners have been concerned for many years about the reduction in the number of children from the county attending Welsh-medium schools; that is until now: the council in Blaenau Gwent has proposed the construction of a new Welsh school, opening the first classrooms in 2023. Would you, first of all, Minister, join with me in congratulating campaigners such as Meryl Darkins and Ann Bellis, and also ensure that you will support the council in order to ensure that the school does open on time? In the meantime, Minister, could you speak to the Minister for transport to see whether there is any means of improving the transport situation for the children in the meantime, before that school opens? And this is my last point, I promise, Deputy Presiding Officer: I understand that this is a matter for the council, but you helped to put momentum behind Welsh-medium education in Merthyr last year when you provided grant funding. Places like Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr are so central to the target of a million Welsh speakers, so Government support would be truly beneficial here. Thank you.