Written question WQ89893
- Asked by
- Andrew RT DaviesConservative
- To be answered by
- Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 7 days
Question
What discussions has the Minister had with education stakeholders on the potential positive impact of learning Mandarin, Spanish or Hindi in school on the employability of students?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I recognise the many benefits of learning international languages and I am committed to supporting our learners to have access to the wide range of opportunities both here in Wales and across the world.
The Global Futures strategic plan sets out our strategy for languages, working alongside our education partners, including Estyn, Careers Wales, regional education consortia and language Institutes, to support our learners develop as ambitious, capable learners ready to be citizens of Wales and the world.
As part of the Curriculum for Wales, in addition to Welsh and English, all learners should have the opportunity to learn at least one international language at school and to use other home languages and community languages they may speak. They should take advantage of opportunities globally, digitally and in the community to reinforce their learning of languages.
Careers and Work-related Experiences (CWRE) also forms a key element of the Curriculum for Wales and is important in supporting learners to achieve the curriculum’s four purposes, to develop the integral skills and gain an insight into the world of work and the types of skills, including language skills, needed to succeed in the future.