English: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you for the statement, Minister, discussing the curriculum and qualifications. I'm pleased that you've recognised the need for clear expectations and further support to implement the new curriculum. You've also mentioned launching a new national network for the implementation of the curriculum in the autumn, but what exactly is the purpose of this network? Who will assemble this network? Who will bring people together? Will it operate at a national level or will there be local arrangements in place? Won't this be an additional burden on the short time available to teachers and take them away from their teaching roles, bearing in mind that schools are already working in clusters in order to share best practice around the new curriculum, and that the consortia too arrange fora around the curriculum? So, my question is: do we really need this new network, and won't it duplicate work that is already happening elsewhere? You've announced funding to support curriculum reform and, in reality, we're talking here, I suppose, about employing supply staff in order to release teachers and give them that space to discuss curricular issues. So, can you just confirm that that's the case? Now, I'm sure that many schools will be pleased to hear that you are to provide greater flexibility to schools who feel that they need more time in order to implement the new curriculum. But won't this lead to inconsistency in the secondary sector across Wales, with year 7 and 8 children having markedly different experiences depending on where they live? Do you anticipate this creating any difficulties, in the short term certainly? And is this truly the best thing for these specific pupils, who of course are facing major changes in their lives as they transfer from the primary to the secondary sector? Now, I welcome the section of your statement discussing qualifications. To be honest, I had expected to hear more about this particular aspect in your statement this afternoon, but you do say this, and I think it's important, that: 'The reform of qualifications will play a fundamental role in the success of our curriculum.' I agree entirely with that statement, but what does that mean on a practical level? That's the question that needs to be addressed. We need to align qualifications to the curriculum as a matter of urgency if the curriculum is to be successful. You will know that we in Plaid Cymru are of the view that it's time to put more emphasis on ongoing assessment rather than examinations. We are of the view that we need to bring GCSE, A-level and BTEC qualifications to an end gradually - and I do emphasise that it needs to be done gradually - and the aim for us would be to move away from the strategy of pushing increasing numbers of pupils through the narrow academic routes, and to give equal status to vocational education and technical education. So, I would like to know what is your vision around the whole important area that needs to be addressed. Are you willing to make the radical changes that are required in order for the curriculum to be successful? Thank you.
Welsh: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, a diolch am eich datganiad, Weinidog, yn trafod y cwricwlwm a chymwysterau. Dwi'n falch eich bod chi'n cydnabod yr angen am ddisgwyliadau clir a rhagor o le a chymorth i weithredu'r cwricwlwm newydd. Rydych chi hefyd yn sôn am lansio rhwydwaith cenedlaethol ar gyfer gweithredu'r cwricwlwm yn yr hydref, ond beth yn union fydd pwrpas hwn a phwy fydd yn cynnull y rhwydwaith yma? Pwy fydd yn cael pobl at ei gilydd? Fydd o'n gweithredu ar lefel genedlaethol ynteu trefniadau lleol fydd ar waith? Oni fydd hyn yn ofyniad ychwanegol ar amser prin athrawon, ac yn eu tynnu nhw oddi ar eu gwaith dysgu, o gofio bod ysgolion eisoes yn gweithio mewn clystyrau ar gyfer rhannu arfer da o gwmpas y cwricwlwm newydd, a bod y consortia hefyd yn trefnu fforymau o gwmpas y cwricwlwm? Felly, fy nghwestiwn i ydy: oes gwir angen y rhwydwaith yma, ac oni fydd o'n dyblygu gwaith sydd yn digwydd mewn mannau eraill? Rydych chi'n cyhoeddi arian i gefnogi diwygio'r cwricwlwm ac, mewn gwirionedd, sôn yn y fan yma ydyn ni, mae'n debyg, am gyflogi staff cyflenwi er mwyn rhyddhau amser staff sydd yn dysgu a rhoi'r gofod yna iddyn nhw ar gyfer trafod materion y cwricwlwm. Fedrwch chi jest gadarnhau hynny? Mae'n siŵr y bydd nifer o ysgolion yn falch o glywed eich bod chi am roi rhagor o hyblygrwydd i ysgolion sy'n teimlo bod angen mwy o amser arnyn nhw er mwyn gweithredu'r cwricwlwm. Ond, oni fydd hyn yn arwain at anghysondeb yn y sector uwchradd ar draws Cymru, efo plant blynyddoedd 7 ac 8 yn cael profiadau reit wahanol yn dibynnu ar le maen nhw'n byw? Ydych chi'n gweld bod hyn yn mynd i greu anawsterau, yn y tymor byr yn sicr? Ai, mewn gwirionedd, dyma'r peth gorau ar gyfer y plant penodol yma sydd dan sylw, sydd wrth gwrs yn wynebu newid mawr yn eu bywydau wrth iddyn nhw drosglwyddo o'r cynradd i'r uwchradd? Dwi'n croesawu'r cymal yn eich datganiad sydd yn trafod cymwysterau. A dweud y gwir, roeddwn i wedi disgwyl clywed mwy am yr agwedd yma yn eich datganiad chi brynhawn yma, ond mi ydych chi'n dweud hyn, a dwi'n meddwl bod hyn yn bwysig: 'Bydd diwygio cymwysterau yn chwarae rhan sylfaenol yn llwyddiant ein cwricwlwm.' Dwi'n cytuno'n llwyr efo'r datganiad yna, ond beth mae hynny'n ei olygu yn ymarferol? Dyna ydy'r cwestiwn sydd angen ei ofyn. Mae angen alinio cymwysterau i'r cwricwlwm ar fyrder os ydy'r cwricwlwm i fod yn llwyddiannus. Rydych chi'n gwybod ein bod ni ym Mhlaid Cymru o'r farn ei bod hi'n bryd i roi mwy o bwyslais ar asesu parhaus yn hytrach nag arholiadau. Rydyn ni o'r farn bod angen dod â chymwysterau TGAU, Safon Uwch a BTEC i ben, yn raddol - dwi'n pwysleisio hynny; yn raddol - a'r nod gennym ni fyddai symud oddi wrth y strategaeth o wthio nifer cynyddol o ddisgyblion drwy lwybr academaidd cul a rhoi statws cyfwerth i addysg alwedigaethol a thechnegol. Felly, hoffwn i wybod beth ydy eich gweledigaeth chi o gwmpas yr holl faes pwysig yma sydd angen mynd i'r afael â hi. Ydych chi'n barod i wneud y newidiadau radical sydd eu hangen er mwyn i'r cwricwlwm fod yn llwyddiannus? Diolch yn fawr.