Welsh-speaking communities to get targeted support to strengthen Cymraeg

Mark Drakeford said: "Cymraeg belongs to us all, and to every community across Wales. I am grateful for the Commission's hard work on this report, and I hope that by accepting their recommendations, we can strengthen Welsh in all our communities.'

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Leader Live

13 hours ago

• Leader Live

First Minister Eluned Morgan visits Wrexham University

Eluned Morgan MS toured the Enterprise Engineering and Optics Centre (EEOC) during her visit to the campus, meeting students and staff and learning more about the university's ambitions under its recently launched 2030 Vision and Strategy. The EEOC, which is expected to be completed soon, is the first construction project under the North Wales Growth Deal. Professor Joe Yates, vice-chancellor of Wrexham University, said: "We were delighted to welcome the First Minister to the University today and proudly showcase our incredible facilities – in particular, our Enterprise Engineering and Optics Centre, which is due to open at the start of the next academic year in September, as well as our cutting-edge Health Simulation Centre. "The visit also provided us with a welcome opportunity to highlight our newly launched 2030 Vision and Strategy, and also shine a light on how higher education institutions have a crucial role to play in helping to shape a more resilient and prosperous Wales. READ MORE: Celebrate the class of 2025 with your prom photos "Our work in building skills but also strengthening and developing a bilingual public sector workforce in North Wales, and our civic mission, in terms of providing systems leadership, demonstrates the positive impact our institution has on the communities we serve. "Thank you to the First Minister for her time and engagement with us today – it was a pleasure to welcome her, and showcase just some of our fantastic work." The First Minister toured the EEOC, which will serve as a centre for industry collaboration, research, and innovation, with the aim of supporting growth in renewables and manufacturing. Her visit came days before International Women in Engineering Day on June 23. During the tour, Ms Morgan spoke with Selina Thomas, a final-year aeronautical and mechanical engineering student, who shared her work with KnitMesh Technologies. She has been investigating the impact strength of composite materials for the North Wales-based company. The First Minister also visited the university's Health Simulation Centre, which provides immersive training environments for healthcare students and professionals. Staff highlighted the university's role in strengthening the public sector workforce in North Wales, with a focus on Welsh language provision. Since launching its Welsh Language Academic Strategy and Action Plan, 'Cyfle,' nearly three years ago, the university has introduced Welsh language modules across several degree programmes. These include speech and language therapy, professional policing, and education. Ms Morgan was also updated on the next phase of development within the university's Health and Education Innovation Quarter (HEIQ). This phase will introduce new teaching facilities, including virtual and augmented reality environments. It will also feature a new teaching and learning lab and a hydra simulation suite, developed in partnership with the Hydra Foundation. The suite will be designed to help students build decision-making skills by simulating emergency scenarios. Ms Morgan said: "I was pleased to see first-hand the facilities at Wrexham University, especially the EEOC, which will soon become a vital hub for industry collaboration and skills development across North Wales. "Through their civic work, our higher education institutions can serve as powerful anchors in their communities, supporting business and unlocking collective action to tackle inequality while preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow."

Powys County Times

13 hours ago

• Powys County Times

Letter: Welsh politics is an worsening expensive shambles

MP David Chadwick's column (County Times June 6) caused me to grieve at the histrionics of young career politicians. I congratulate him on his progress, despite setbacks, to a £93,904 MP's salary in Westminster, from April 2025, plus expenses and generous pension arrangements. His pension, unlike the state pension for the rest of us, is fully funded, so no surprise there. But penning his thoughts on the 'onslaught of pressure' to farmers, was he aware of Powys County Council's predominately Lib Dem Cabinet's decision to sell some of Powys's county-owned farms? This picking of long held 'low hanging fruit' to boost council coffers, bare through weak management across the entire county council, is short-sighted and disgraceful. This year's council tax increase is 8.9% with inflation at 3.5% (CPI). Next year, who knows? So, cost cutting across the board should be top priority. There is no alternative. Any talk of growth being sufficient to pay ever burgeoning county council costs is bunkum. If the MP was aware of the farm evictions, his column is spurious - if he was not aware, he should have been, and perhaps he and Powys's other MP, Steve Witherden, should get their heads together and bring the strongest pressure to bear on the County Council. Alongside, avoiding the political divide, Senedd members for Powys, Russell George and James Evans, should engage too. As opposed to evictions (CT June 13), cash strapped Powys County Council's cabinet members for a Fairer Powys and a More Prosperous Powys seem keen to welcome a possible 'asylum seekers' deal'. This would see the national government or Senedd handing over 'Cash to boost Powys housing stock'. For whose benefit - for displaced tenant farming families - surely not? Welsh politics is an expensive shambles, shortly to become more so, if a further 36 under-qualified lightweights join the Senedd, ready to plunder the public purse in 2026 - with a likely extra cost of £18 million annually, rising remorselessly.

South Wales Argus

19 hours ago

• South Wales Argus

Teachers expected to 'endure violence,' says union

The union believes that the Welsh Government's 'neglect' is causing a crisis in education. This weekend, members will convene in Cardiff to establish a campaign agenda for the year. Discussions will centre on safeguarding the profession through better recruitment and restoring pay, addressing learner behaviour, and the need for a sincere social partnership. The government has proposed a four per cent pay rise, falling short of the IWPRB's 4.8 per cent recommendation. There were 6,446 recorded violent incidents against school staff in 2023-24. Matt Wrack, acting general secretary, said: "If the Welsh government wants to build a world-class education system, it's time to start investing in teachers." Neil Butler, national official for Wales, said: "This government, it seems, is sleepwalking towards crisis. "While their workloads increase and their pay stagnates, teachers are expected to endure violence in classrooms and accommodate unrealistic qualifications reform."