Mark Drakeford: ...definition of antisemitism. We don’t intend to pursue this through the funding route to which Darren Millar referred, but this is how we intend to take that conversation further forward: higher education institutions in Wales have an obligation to carry out their functions in full recognition of their obligations under their public sector equality duty. We are to carry out a review of...
Mark Drakeford: ...statement here on the floor of the Senedd practical action that is being taken to increase the provision of NHS dentistry for children, including the pilot that the Minister set out in secondary schools—a pilot being carried out in north Wales in the first instance, and we hope, if it is successful, to be able to do more of that elsewhere. In Powys, to which Jane Dodds referred directly,...
Mark Drakeford: We are in the second year of the three-year planned implementation of our additional learning needs and education tribunal Act. From 2023, annual support for that implementation will be £25.5 million to support system improvement.
Mark Drakeford: Tackling child poverty is a key priority for the Welsh Government. We fund a range of programmes which support better outcomes, such as financial help with the cost of the school day, our childcare offer and initiatives helping young people across Wales reach their potential including our Young Person’s Guarantee.
Mark Drakeford: ...s mental health. We have invested significantly in mental health support from early intervention to specialist services. We have also introduced statutory guidance to embed mental well-being in schools and we are implementing the NEST/NYTH Framework across Wales.
Mark Drakeford: ...do to prevent their use by this group as part of our new tobacco strategy. We are also looking at messaging around young people and e-cigarettes as part of the JustB programme aimed at secondary school pupils in areas with the highest smoking prevalence rates.
Mark Drakeford: The Minister for Education and the Welsh Language set out a range of measures to tackle the impact of poverty on educational attainment in his statement to the Chamber on 22 March. The Minister has committed to bringing forward a statement updating Members on progress before the end of term.
Mark Drakeford: Our pupil development grant—access provides funding directly to eligible families for the purchase of uniform, kit and other school supplies. We announced an additional one-off payment of £100 to all children and young people eligible for PDG— Access this year, taking funding to over £23 million for 2022-23.
Mark Drakeford: ...to address key skills shortages and support employers to diversify their workforce. Our degree apprenticeship programme is fully funded and occupationally focused. A direct comparison with higher education participation is superficial.
Mark Drakeford: I am pleased that our NHS workforce grows year on year and is now at record levels with over 104,000 staff employed by NHS Wales. We are investing record amounts in education and training; HEIW’s Workforce Strategy also sets out plans for a reformed and sustainable workforce for the future.
Mark Drakeford: We have provided substantial financial support to help higher education institutions deal with the impact of the pandemic. This year's total allocation of funding to HEFCW amounts to over £274 million. This funding, together with our student support system, provides a good foundation for maintaining the sustainability of Welsh higher education.
Mark Drakeford: We continue to move ahead with plans to establish a north Wales medical school. This year, the numbers of medical students being trained in north Wales will rise again, with further increases to follow as undergraduate students are recruited from 2023 onwards.
Mark Drakeford: The programme has invested over £2.2 billion in our educational estate to date, delivering 244 projects. This includes 73 projects that have been approved under second wave funding, of which 21 have been completed and a further 25 are under construction.
Mark Drakeford: Our national guidance focuses on enabling schools to secure the best outcomes for all learners by considering both their educational needs and wellbeing while managing ongoing risks of COVID-19. We continue to take action to minimise disruption to learners and ensure schools are safe places to learn and work.
Mark Drakeford: Our national guidance has been updated and schools have been asked to operate at the very high risk level. Two planning days at the start of the term have enabled all schools to plan for the term ahead and ensure robust arrangements are in place to maximise in-person learning.
Mark Drakeford: Music is an important part of our culture and heritage. We recognise the importance of music education to young people and have allocated £1.5 million in this financial year to support music services across Wales. Through our programme for government, we will establish a national music service.
Mark Drakeford: Our long-term programme of education reform remains ambitious but achievable as we move into a key implementation phase for the Curriculum for Wales and a new system of additional learning needs support to improve the lives of all children and young people in Wales.
Mark Drakeford: Social media provides both risks and rewards for young people. Through the 'keeping safe online' area of Hwb, we provide extensive resources and guidance to support online safety education, and equip this generation with skills to manage the risks of social media.
Mark Drakeford: ...a'r baich y mae ymateb i'r pandemig wedi ei roi arnyn nhw, ochr yn ochr â'r holl bobl eraill sy'n gweithio yn ein gwasanaeth addysg. Nawr, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn darparu cyllid i elusen yn y DU. Education Support yw ei enw, ac mae'n sefydliad sydd wedi ymrwymo i gynorthwyo iechyd a llesiant meddwl pobl yn yr ystafell ddosbarth. Ac rydym ni wedi bod yn eglur iawn erioed yn Llywodraeth...
Mark Drakeford: We have committed in the programme for government to deliver a young persons guarantee, giving everyone under 25 the offer of work, education, training, or self‑employment. The Minister for Economy will make an oral statement with further details on 29 June.
