The ‘Resilience Plan for post-16 learning’ has been published
today, setting out how the Welsh Government will work with
colleges, universities and training providers to help ensure that
learners are supported throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
The plan is aimed at education for learners aged 16 and over,
including further and higher education, apprenticeships,
employability and adult learning.
The plan identifies the priority groups most in need of support
and sets out the expectations of how education providers and
the Welsh Government will work together in response to Covid-19
and how key decisions will be communicated.
Since education providers in Wales closed for face-to-face
learning on 20 March, colleges and universities have moved to
remote learning, delivering online lectures, tutorials and
reviews, as well as ensuring support for more vulnerable
learners continues.
The plan is divided into three phases – the current ‘rescue’
phase is focused on ensuring education providers have immediate
security of funding and arrangements for learning in place this
academic year; the ‘review’ phase plans for potential changes
this autumn; and the ‘renew’ phase will put arrangements in
place for the remainder of the academic year 2020-21.
The plan identifies learners for whom the coronavirus is likely
to cause the most disruption, including Year 11 and 13, and
vocational learners who need to access colleges or workplaces
to complete their courses. The Welsh Government has increased
online resources for post-16 through its Hwb platform,
with distance learning resources available for both learners
and providers.
The Resilience Plan follows the publication of the continuity
of learning plan for schools, ‘Stay Safe. Stay
Learning’, published last month.
The Education Minister has also announced that £1.3m of capital
funding, part of the Sêr Cymru programme, will be used to
invite applications from Welsh universities to submit novel
research proposals that could contribute to or boost the
advancement of research that impacts COVID-19.
The Education Minister, , said:
“The coronavirus has presented huge challenges for both
students and education providers, in both the immediate and the
longer term. This Resilience Plan will provide a clear focus so
we can work together with our education partners to overcome
these challenges
“This plan will complement our continuity of learning plan for
schools, ‘Stay Safe. Stay Learning’, but recognises
the greater levels of autonomy and diversity of education and
training provided by the post-16 sector.
“Our colleges, universities and training providers are critical
to the national response to the coronavirus and the rebuilding
of the economy. We are committed to doing all we can to support
them.”
The Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, , said:
“We do not only want to bounce back from this pandemic, but to
build back better by creating a national economy which sees
employment, wealth and prosperity spread more equally across
Wales. The post-16 education sector will be crucial to this.
“As we shape our recovery from the impacts of coronavirus, we
are committed to doing all we can to provide a strong
foundation for those looking for employment, learners, trainees
and apprentices to flourish in the future.
“This incredibly challenging period has already highlighted the
talent, commitment and incredible resilience of training and
learning providers in supporting individuals here in Wales.
It’s efforts like these that will help ensure we emerge from
this crisis stronger than ever.”
