English: Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. I'd like to start by paying tribute to all of our young people. Their lives, perhaps more than any of ours, have been turned upside down by lockdown. They've not seen their friends, they've had their usual routines taken away, they've had to get used to different ways of learning, of living and of being, and those doing exams this year have had a particular set of worries, and while I'm glad the UK had a common approach with teacher assessments, I see that other countries carried on with the examinations that were scheduled, either in whole or in part. I am deeply concerned that students across the UK this year didn't get the education to which they are entitled and didn't have the satisfaction of completing exams that they had prepared for for a year or more. I do, though, have grave concerns about an early decision on teacher assessments for 2021, although I acknowledge that this year's situation across the UK must not be repeated. The focus of my remarks today will be on standards. I understand that the Minister will be making an announcement before or during half-term week about plans for exams for summer 2021, and yet, in England, they say they intend to run exams, maybe later and maybe amended, but there is a clear signal that they will go ahead. So, I would like to express my serious concerns about the reduction in the A-level gold standard in Wales if no exams take place next year and they do go ahead in England. This may lead to inevitable discrepancies in rigour, parity of esteem, level of demand and the standard of Wales's A-levels, and they may be perceived by UCAS, Russell Group universities and future employers to be of a lower standard than those taken by students in England. These are serious implications if Welsh students apply to English universities in particular, and there is a very real risk that their submissions to higher education institutions will suffer as a result of perceived lower A-level standards in Wales compared to A-level students in England. I can foresee a time when we become comfortable with teacher assessments and sleepwalk into a situation where exams are left in the past. I read today that Philip Blaker of Qualifications Wales suggests a performance experience - a phrase that, at this point, I would suggest will hardly instil confidence in anyone with an interest in this subject. I think that that would be a slippery slope. Higher and further education will probably involve some sort of exam process, and Welsh learners will be greatly disadvantaged. I also have real worries about educational standards. Let's remember that Welsh education lags behind the rest of the UK, certainly according to PISA, so I fear that the necessary rigour to give Welsh kids any chance of competing with their peers across the UK will certainly be lost. And how will we know, and how can we give assurance to employers and higher education establishments that a Welsh education is at the same level as that of other UK nations and/or the rest of the world if we move away from an accepted examination process that allows for some sort of comparison? I certainly agree with your point on broadband. It's 2020, and yet still areas of Wales, including my own, suffer dreadful broadband speeds. We hear stories of people standing by windows and walking down the road. I've had to do that myself. Broadband really does need to be prioritised as the next utility for learners, and all of us. It is a matter of deep regret to me, and should be to everyone in this Chamber, that Wales's education standards lag behind the rest of the UK, let alone the world, according to PISA. I fear that any moves to move away from a system of exams to 'a performance experience' will compound any negative connotations around Welsh education. As is often the case with Plaid motions for debate, this one just asks for too much and stretches the boundaries of devolution by stepping into welfare, so I'm not able to support it as a whole. Some of the points in this motion are certainly in the 'nice to have' bracket; however, parents and learners should still have a choice to learn through the medium of Welsh or not. The Conservative amendments do appear to be more grounded in reality, so I will be supporting those today. Thank you.
Welsh: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Hoffwn ddechrau drwy dalu teyrnged i'n holl bobl ifanc. Mae eu bywydau, efallai'n fwy nag unrhyw rai o'n bywydau ni, wedi'u troi ben i waered gan y cyfyngiadau symud. Nid ydynt wedi gweld eu ffrindiau, maent wedi gweld colli eu trefn ddyddiol arferol, maent wedi gorfod dod i arfer â gwahanol ffyrdd o ddysgu, byw a bod, ac mae'r rhai sy'n gwneud arholiadau eleni wedi cael set benodol o bryderon, ac er fy mod yn falch fod y DU wedi mabwysiadu dull cyffredin gydag asesiadau athrawon, rwy'n gweld bod gwledydd eraill wedi parhau ag arholiadau a drefnwyd, naill ai'n gyfan gwbl neu'n rhannol. Rwy'n pryderu'n fawr na chafodd myfyrwyr ledled y DU eleni yr addysg y mae ganddynt hawl iddi ac na chawsant y mwynhad o orffen arholiadau roeddent wedi paratoi ar eu gyfer ers blwyddyn neu fwy. Er hynny, mae gennyf bryderon difrifol am benderfyniad cynnar ar asesiadau athrawon ar gyfer 2021, er fy mod yn cydnabod na ddylid ailadrodd sefyllfa eleni ledled y DU. Bydd fy sylwadau heddiw yn canolbwyntio ar safonau. Deallaf y bydd y Gweinidog yn gwneud cyhoeddiad cyn neu yn ystod wythnos hanner tymor am gynlluniau ar gyfer arholiadau haf 2021, ac eto, yn Lloegr, dywedant eu bod yn bwriadu cynnal arholiadau, efallai'n ddiweddarach ac efallai wedi'u diwygio, ond ceir arwydd clir y byddant yn mynd rhagddynt. Felly, hoffwn fynegi fy mhryderon difrifol am ostwng safon aur Safon Uwch yng Nghymru os na fydd arholiadau'n digwydd y flwyddyn nesaf a'u bod yn mynd rhagddynt yn Lloegr. Gall hyn arwain at anghysondebau anochel o ran trylwyredd, parch cydradd, lefel y galw a safon Safon Uwch Cymru, ac efallai y bydd UCAS, prifysgolion Grŵp Russell a chyflogwyr y dyfodol yn ystyried eu bod o safon is na'r rhai a gymerwyd gan fyfyrwyr yn Lloegr. Mae'r rhain yn oblygiadau difrifol os bydd myfyrwyr Cymru'n gwneud cais i brifysgolion Lloegr yn enwedig, ac mae perygl gwirioneddol y bydd eu ceisiadau i sefydliadau addysg uwch yn dioddef o ganlyniad i ganfyddiad fod safonau Safon Uwch yng Nghymru yn is o gymharu â myfyrwyr Safon Uwch yn Lloegr. Gallaf ragweld adeg pan fyddwn yn dod yn gyfforddus gydag asesiadau athrawon ac yn cerdded yn ein cwsg i sefyllfa lle bydd arholiadau'n perthyn i'r gorffennol. Darllenais heddiw fod Philip Blaker yn Cymwysterau Cymru yn awgrymu profiad o berfformio - ymadrodd na fyddwn yn awgrymu, ar y pwynt hwn, y byddai'n ennyn hyder mewn unrhyw un sydd â diddordeb yn y pwnc. Credaf y byddai hynny'n llwybr llithrig. Mae'n debyg y bydd addysg uwch ac addysg bellach yn cynnwys rhyw fath o broses arholi, a bydd dysgwyr Cymru dan anfantais fawr. Mae gennyf bryderon gwirioneddol hefyd am safonau addysgol. Gadewch inni gofio bod addysg Cymru ar ei hôl hi o gymharu â gweddill y DU, yn sicr yn ôl PISA, felly ofnaf y bydd y trylwyredd angenrheidiol i roi unrhyw gyfle i blant Cymru gystadlu â'u cyfoedion ledled y DU yn sicr o gael ei golli. A sut y byddwn yn gwybod, a sut y gallwn roi sicrwydd i gyflogwyr a sefydliadau addysg uwch fod addysg yng Nghymru ar yr un lefel ag addysg yng ngwledydd eraill y DU a/neu weddill y byd os symudwn oddi wrth broses arholi dderbyniol sy'n caniatáu rhyw fath o gymhariaeth? Rwy'n sicr yn cytuno â'ch pwynt am fand eang. Mae'n 2020, ac eto mae ardaloedd o Gymru o hyd, gan gynnwys fy ardal i, yn dioddef yn sgil cyflymder band eang ofnadwy. Clywn straeon am bobl yn sefyll wrth ffenestri ac yn cerdded i lawr y ffordd. Rwyf wedi gorfod gwneud hynny fy hun. Mae gwir angen blaenoriaethu band eang fel y cyfleustod nesaf i ddysgwyr, a phob un ohonom. Mae'n destun gofid mawr i mi, a dylai fod i bawb yn y Siambr hon, fod safonau addysg Cymru ar ei hôl hi o gymharu â gweddill y DU, heb sôn am y byd, yn ôl PISA. Ofnaf y bydd unrhyw symudiadau i symud oddi wrth system o arholiadau i 'brofiad o berfformio' yn dwysáu unrhyw anfanteision negyddol mewn perthynas ag addysg yng Nghymru. Fel sy'n digwydd yn aml gyda chynigion Plaid Cymru ar gyfer dadleuon, mae hwn yn gofyn am ormod ac yn ymestyn ffiniau datganoli drwy gamu i faes lles, felly ni allaf ei gefnogi yn ei gyfanrwydd. Mae rhai o'r pwyntiau yn y cynnig hwn yn sicr yn y categori 'braf eu cael'; fodd bynnag, dylai rhieni a dysgwyr gael dewis o hyd i ddysgu drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg ai peidio. Mae'n ymddangos bod gwelliannau'r Ceidwadwyr wedi'u gwreiddio'n fwy mewn realiti, felly byddaf yn cefnogi'r rheini heddiw. Diolch.