English: To promote fairness and consistency, this flexibility has been scaffolded by guidance, by exemplar materials and professional learning. The Welsh Government has provided over £9 million to support schools and colleges as well as allocating a national inset day. There are both internal and external quality assurance mechanisms, including professional dialogue with the WJEC on grade outcomes at centre level, a feature that was requested by the sector in 2020. I can reassure Members that the WJEC will not change any outcomes as a result of this dialogue; those remain decisions of centres. Reflecting the different delivery model this year, the WJEC has been able to reduce its fees by 42 per cent, releasing a further £8 million to schools and colleges. Recognising the role of centres, I'm providing a further £1.6 million to enable fees to be reduced to 50 per cent. Schools and colleges are now managing centre reviews of grades requested by learners as part of the appeals process. I am confident that learners will have access to a fair and workable route of appeal. Where a centre review has taken place, should the learner wish to pursue further, a second route is available via WJEC. This approach, which is unique to Wales, has been developed to minimise the burden on schools and colleges during the holidays. I am today confirming that appeals will be free. This year is distinct from previous years. Some learners prefer exams, and some will do better in continuous assessment. These learners have experienced significant disruption as well as adapting to a new approach to assessment. I am confident that we have developed a system that is transparent, fair, equitable and credible. Learners can have confidence in the grades awarded, and so too can the wider education system and employers, within and beyond Wales. We have supported schools, colleges and higher education institutions to support learners in transitioning to their next steps. Wales was, of course, the first to cancel the summer examinations, but all four UK nations are now on a broadly similar path. We remain closely engaged with our counterparts to achieve a level playing field for learners across the UK, and this is particularly important for higher education admissions. Universities in Wales and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol have collaborated under the leadership of the Open University to introduce University Ready, an online platform of resources ranging from study skills to support for mental health and well-being. Finally, I would like to update Members on vocational qualifications that are regulated jointly with other administrations. For qualifications similar to GSCEs and A-levels, for example BTECs, grades will be determined by schools and colleges in a similar way to general qualifications, and will be awarded no later than GSCEs and A-levels. For other vocational qualifications used for progression or licence to practise, qualifications have been adapted and assessments can continue where it is safe to do so. Further education institutions have been awarded £26 million to allow for the safe return of learners to ensure vocational programmes are completed. In closing, I would like to reaffirm my gratitude to teachers and lecturers, the design group, Qualifications Wales, the WJEC and partners across the education system for their collective effort to ensure a generation of learners will be awarded qualifications, marking their hard work and attainment during a period of unprecedented disruption. These efforts have required a significant contribution from our workforce and strong, ethical leadership from our school and college leaders. I thank them for their efforts. I would also like to congratulate learners for their resilience and their commitment during what has been a truly challenging year.
Welsh: Er mwyn hyrwyddo tegwch a chysondeb, mae'r hyblygrwydd hwn wedi ei gefnogi gan ganllawiau, gan ddeunyddiau enghreifftiol a gan ddysgu proffesiynol. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi darparu dros £9 miliwn i gefnogi ysgolion a cholegau yn ogystal â dyrannu diwrnod hyfforddiant mewn swydd cenedlaethol. Mae yna ddulliau sicrhau ansawdd mewnol ac allanol, gan gynnwys deialog broffesiynol gyda CBAC ynghylch deilliannau graddau ar lefel canolfan, nodwedd y gofynnwyd amdani gan y sector yn 2020. Gallaf sicrhau'r Aelodau na fydd CBAC yn newid unrhyw ddeilliannau o ganlyniad i'r ddeialog hon; penderfyniadau'r canolfannau ydyn nhw o hyd. Gan adlewyrchu'r model cyflawni gwahanol eleni, mae CBAC wedi gallu gostwng ei ffioedd 42 y cant, gan ryddhau £8 miliwn arall i ysgolion a cholegau. I gydnabod swyddogaeth canolfannau, rwy'n darparu £1.6 miliwn arall i allu gostwng ffioedd i 50 y cant. Bellach, ysgolion a cholegau sy'n rheoli adolygiadau canolfannau o raddau y mae dysgwyr yn gofyn amdanyn nhw yn rhan o'r broses apelio. Rwy'n hyderus y bydd gan ddysgwyr fynediad at lwybr apelio teg ac ymarferol. Pan fo adolygiad canolfan wedi ei gynnal, os yw'r dysgwr yn dymuno parhau â'r mater ymhellach, mae ail lwybr ar gael drwy CBAC. Mae'r dull hwn yn unigryw i Gymru ac fe'i datblygwyd i leihau'r baich ar ysgolion a cholegau yn ystod y gwyliau. Heddiw rwyf i'n cadarnhau y bydd apeliadau am ddim. Mae eleni yn wahanol i flynyddoedd blaenorol. Mae'n well gan rai dysgwyr arholiadau, a bydd rhai yn gwneud yn well mewn asesiadau parhaus. Mae'r dysgwyr hyn wedi bod yn destun aflonyddwch sylweddol yn ogystal ag addasu i ddull newydd o asesu. Rwyf i'n hyderus ein bod wedi datblygu system sy'n dryloyw, yn deg, yn gydradd ac yn gredadwy. Gall dysgwyr fod â hyder yn y graddau a ddyfarnwyd, ac felly hefyd y system addysg ehangach a chyflogwyr, yng Nghymru a thu hwnt. Rydym ni wedi cefnogi ysgolion, colegau a sefydliadau addysg uwch i gefnogi dysgwyr i drosglwyddo i'w camau nesaf. Cymru, wrth gwrs, oedd y cyntaf i ganslo arholiadau'r haf, ond mae pob un o bedair gwlad y DU bellach ar lwybr tebyg yn fras. Rydym yn parhau i ymgysylltu'n agos â'n cymheiriaid i sicrhau chwarae teg i ddysgwyr ledled y DU, ac mae hyn yn arbennig o bwysig ar gyfer derbyniadau i addysg uwch. Mae prifysgolion yng Nghymru a'r Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol wedi cydweithio o dan arweinyddiaeth y Brifysgol Agored i gyflwyno University Ready, llwyfan ar-lein o adnoddau sy'n amrywio o sgiliau astudio i gefnogi iechyd meddwl a lles. Yn olaf, hoffwn roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r Aelodau am gymwysterau galwedigaethol sy'n cael eu rheoleiddio ar y cyd â gweinyddiaethau eraill. Ar gyfer cymwysterau tebyg i TGAU a Safon Uwch, er enghraifft BTEC, bydd graddau yn cael eu pennu gan ysgolion a cholegau mewn ffordd debyg i gymwysterau cyffredinol, a byddan nhw'n cael eu dyfarnu heb fod yn hwyrach na TGAU a Safon Uwch. Ar gyfer cymwysterau galwedigaethol eraill a ddefnyddir ar gyfer dilyniant neu drwydded i ymarfer, mae'r cymwysterau wedi eu haddasu a gall asesiadau barhau pan fo'n ddiogel gwneud hynny. Mae £26 miliwn wedi ei ddyfarnu i sefydliadau addysg bellach i ganiatáu i ddysgwyr ddychwelyd yn ddiogel er mwyn sicrhau bod rhaglenni galwedigaethol yn cael eu cwblhau. Wrth gloi, hoffwn i ailddatgan fy niolch i athrawon a darlithwyr, y grŵp dylunio, Cymwysterau Cymru, CBAC a phartneriaid ar draws y system addysg am eu hymdrech ar y cyd i sicrhau y dyfernir cymwysterau i genhedlaeth o ddysgwyr, gan nodi eu gwaith caled a'u cyrhaeddiad yn ystod cyfnod o darfu digynsail. Mae'r ymdrechion hyn wedi galw am gyfraniad sylweddol gan ein gweithlu ac arweinyddiaeth gref a moesegol gan arweinwyr ein hysgolion a'n colegau. Rwy'n diolch iddyn nhw am eu hymdrechion. Hoffwn i hefyd longyfarch dysgwyr am eu cadernid a'u hymrwymiad yn ystod blwyddyn wirioneddol heriol.