Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
In September 2011, I launched the Review of Qualifications for 14 to 19\-year\-olds, and in November 2011 I asked Huw Evans to lead the Review.  The Review Board was composed of external members, including two employers, representatives from schools, further education, work\-based learning providers, higher education and Welsh Government officials.  The members of the Board have a wealth of knowledge, expertise and experience in delivering, designing, regulating and assessing qualifications across the school, further education and work\-based learning sectors, through English and Welsh.  The employers and higher education practitioners have front\-line knowledge of how qualifications are perceived and what makes a qualification relevant and valued.  


Today, Huw Evans and the Review Board will be submitting their final report and recommendations to Ministers.  


The Review’s task was to consider how we can achieve the vision of ‘qualifications that are understood and valued and meet the needs of our young people and the Welsh economy’. The Review was prompted by a number of concerns about the complexity of the current system and the extent to which it is understood, and the relevance, value and rigour of some qualifications.  


Between November 2011 and May 2012, Board members and officials met and listened to an extensive range of stakeholders at a variety of meetings and events across Wales. Young people shared their experiences and opinions with the Review team in schools, colleges and at stakeholder events.  The Board also heard from many employers, employer representatives, universities and learning providers.  It undertook research into the views of parents and the perceptions of qualifications by a number of stakeholder groups.  A formal consultation exercise, running from 31 May to 1 September, attracted 185 responses and included an open evidence day at which any stakeholder was able to represent their views directly to Board members.


The Review drew on a large body of existing evidence and data. It also commissioned bespoke research on some key topics, such as qualification models in other countries, literacy and numeracy skills, Entry Level qualifications, gender issues in assessment and vocational qualifications in specific sectors.


I would like to thank Huw Evans and the Board for their excellent work on the Review and for producing an extremely thorough, well considered and valuable report.  I am particularly pleased that its findings are based firmly on evidence and that its recommendations have been developed in an inclusive way on the basis of discussion with a wide range of stakeholders.  


This is an independent report to the Welsh Government. However, its recommendations have been made in full recognition of the wider policy context. It builds on and fits with the work we are driving forward in relation to literacy and numeracy.  It also reflects the decision we have already taken that the Welsh Baccalaureate should be graded at Advanced level for teaching from 2013, to enhance its rigour and value.


The Welsh Government will study the recommendations of the Review carefully and in detail before reaching any decisions about the way forward.  We will respond formally to all the recommendations by the end of January 2013\.


 







Translation:


 
Ym mis Medi 2011, lansiais Adolygiad o Gymwysterau ar gyfer Pobl Ifanc 14 i 19 oed ac ym mis Tachwedd 2011, gofynnais i Huw Evans arwain yr Adolygiad. Roedd Bwrdd yr Adolygiad yn cynnwys aelodau allanol, gan gynnwys dau gyflogwr, cynrychiolwyr o ysgolion, addysg bellach, darparwyr dysgu’n seiliedig ar waith, addysg uwch a swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae gan aelodau’r Bwrdd wybodaeth, arbenigedd a phrofiad eang ym maes darparu, dylunio, rheoleiddio ac asesu cymwysterau ar draws y sectorau ysgol, addysg bellach, dysgu’n seiliedig ar waith, drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg. Mae gan y cyflogwyr a’r ymarferwyr addysg uwch wybodaeth rheng flaen o farn ehangach am gymwysterau a’r hyn sy’n gwneud cymwysterau’n berthnasol ac yn werthfawr.

Heddiw, bydd Huw Evans a Bwrdd yr Adolygiad yn cyflwyno’u hadroddiad terfynol a’u hargymhellion i’r Gweinidogion. 

Tasg yr adolygiad oedd ystyried sut i wireddu’r weledigaeth o ‘gymwysterau sy’n cael eu deall a’u gwerthfawrogi ac sy’n diwallu anghenion ein pobl ifanc ac economi Cymru’. Lansiwyd yr Adolygiad yn sgil pryderon ynghylch pa mor gymhleth yw’r system, p’un a yw pobl yn ei deall, yn ei hystyried yn berthnasol, yn ei gwerthfawrogi a ph’un a yw’r cymwysterau’n rhai trylwyr.

Rhwng mis Tachwedd 2011 a mis Mai 2012, bu aelodau’r Bwrdd a swyddogion yn cyfarfod ac yn gwrando ar lawer o randdeiliaid mewn amryw gyfarfodydd a digwyddiadau ledled Cymru. Rhannodd pobl ifanc eu profiadau a’u barn gyda thîm yr Adolygiad mewn ysgolion, colegau ac mewn digwyddiadau i randdeiliaid. Hefyd, cafodd y Bwrdd farn llawer o gyflogwyr, cynrychiolwyr cyflogwyr, prifysgolion a darparwyr dysgu. Cynhaliodd y Bwrdd ymchwil i farn rhieni a’r farn am gymwysterau ymysg nifer o grwpiau rhanddeiliaid. Denwyd 185 o ymatebion yn ystod ymarfer ymgynghori ffurfiol, yn rhedeg o 31 Mai i 1 Medi. Roedd hyn yn cynnwys diwrnod agored i gasglu tystiolaeth lle'r oedd unrhyw randdeiliaid yn gallu lleisio’u barn yn uniongyrchol i aelodau’r Bwrdd.

Defnyddiodd yr Adolygiad swmp sylweddol o dystiolaeth a data cyfredol. Hefyd, comisiynodd ymchwil newydd, pwrpasol ar rai pynciau pwysig, megis modelau o gymwysterau mewn gwledydd eraill, sgiliau llythrennedd a rhifedd, cymwysterau Lefel Mynediad, materion rhyw o ran asesu a chymwysterau galwedigaethol mewn sectorau penodol.

Hoffwn ddiolch i Huw Evans a’r Bwrdd am eu gwaith gwych ar yr Adolygiad ac am baratoi adroddiad trylwyr, ystyriol a gwerthfawr. Rwy’n arbennig o falch fod canfyddiadau’r adroddiad wedi’u seilion gadarn ar dystiolaeth a bod yr argymhellion wedi’u datblygu mewn ffordd gynhwysol ar sail trafodaeth gydag ystod eang o randdeiliaid.  

Mae’r adroddiad hwn yn un annibynnol i Lywodraeth Cymru. Fodd bynnag, mae ei argymhellion wedi’u gwneud gan gydnabod y cyd\-destun polisi ehangach yn llawn. Mae’n datblygu ac yn cyd\-fynd â’r gwaith yr ydym yn bwrw ymlaen ag ef o ran llythrennedd a rhifedd. Mae hefyd yn adlewyrchu’r penderfyniad a gymerwyd gennym eisoes y dylai Bagloriaeth Cymru gael ei raddio ar Lefel Uwch o 2013 ymlaen, er mwyn ei wneud yn fwy trylwyr a gwerthfawr.

Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru’n astudio argymhellion yr Adolygiad yn fanwl ac yn ofalus cyn dod i gasgliad am y ffordd ymlaen. Byddwn yn ymateb yn ffurfiol i’r holl argymhellion erbyn diwedd Ionawr 2013\.