A View from Wales 

As I reflect on my first 6 months in my newly created role as Minister for Further and Higher Education, I am continually struck by the transformative power of education. 

Not just for young people at the start of their careers, but for everyone at every stage of life. This belief in education as a lifelong journey underpins our approach to learning in Wales. 

Since starting my role in September 2024, I have visited all of the FE Colleges in Wales, giving me an invaluable insight into the experiences of learners and the workforce, helping me understand their choices, the barriers they face, and celebrate their achievements. 

I want everyone to have access to the same opportunities, ensuring that with post 16 education, whether academic or vocational, people are aware of all the options open to them and that there are no barriers to education.  

Medr 

It’s an exciting time in Wales with the newly established Medr. Medr is the new arms-length funder and regulator for tertiary education and research in Wales. It has oversight for further education, higher education, work-based learning and apprenticeships, adult education, research, and school sixth forms.  

They have just set out their vision for the future in their strategic plan, following a consultation. This focuses on the needs of the learner and will ensure that they are involved in decision making. 

Wales is the first place in the UK to have brought all those areas together in one place – we’re leading the way! 

Widening Post-16 Participation 

Widening participation is a key priority for me. 

Our cross-government approach to increasing participation aims to increase the visibility of options for post-16 learners, whether it be through an academic or vocational route. 

A core ambition is to develop a holistic approach to tertiary education, better facilitating collaboration between schools, and further and higher education sectors in Wales, working with Medr and Qualifications Wales to ensure pathways are clearer and easier to navigate. 

I recognise that there is a significant challenge around participation across the post 16 sector, it is one that I take very seriously. 

Improving participation in post-16 education requires a focus on the whole education system, including pre-16 education. We are investing an additional £96.5m (£70.2m resource and £26.3m capital) in the education system as a whole in 2025-26. This includes an additional £1.5m specifically for new interventions directly targeting participation. 

The Seren Academy supports the most academically able learners to aspire, experience and apply to the best higher education course which is right for them.  

We are exploring ways to increase opportunities for more of our most able learners from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate in Seren. Over the next year, we will conduct active research to enhance equity of opportunity, ensure fair access, and improve provision within Seren, prioritising the needs of learners at its core. Medr funds the Reaching Wider programme that supports aspiration raising for young people and adults who are looking for a second chance at education and will be able to take a better overview of all pathways in tertiary education, to ensure individuals are able to follow routes that meet their needs and the needs of employers and society more broadly. 

Taith has funded over 1,300 further education and VET mobilities since the programme’s inception.  For these learners, gaining hands-on experience in another country can be educational, career-defining and life-changing. Whether it’s healthcare training in Canada, an Independent Living Skills experience for learners with Additional Learning Needs in France, or Sports Science programmes at Benfica FC in Portugal, these opportunities equip students with real-world skills, confidence, and ambition.  

Taith is committed to widening participation by breaking down barriers that have historically prevented students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, from accessing international experiences.  

We must ensure that post-16 education extends beyond the classroom and even beyond our borders and that we empower our learners to become global citizens who can shape a better future for themselves and the world. 

Learner Travel 

I know the availability and affordability of transport can be a barrier to accessing education or training. As part of our work on increasing participation, we will be exploring the factors contributing to the difficulties facing colleges and local authorities in the provision of learner travel at the upcoming Learner Travel Summit. 

Whilst there is no statutory duty for local authorities to provide free transport to post-16 learners in mainstream further education or training, there are a range of schemes offering discounted and free travel for children and young people on public transport, such as My TravelPass, which entitles them up to a third off bus fares across Wales. 

We have just introduced a new pilot scheme aimed at making travel more affordable for young people. It will allow 16-21 year olds to travel anywhere in Wales on public buses, for any journey for just £1, with unlimited day tickets available for £3. The scheme will run for one academic year, starting this September. 

EMA 

I’m proud of our support for FE learners in Wales.  

The Education Maintenance Allowance has not only been retained in Wales, but we’ve increased it to £40 a week and raising the threshold this year means thousands more learners will now benefit from this further financial support to continue or start their further education journey. 

Lifelong Learning 

Lifelong learning isn’t just a catchphrase in Wales – it’s a fundamental principle guiding our educational approach. I firmly believe that learning shouldn’t stop when you leave school or university. In today’s rapidly changing world, we all need opportunities to develop new skills, explore new interests, and adapt to evolving workplace demands. 

An important step towards achieving that is a new legal duty which will be placed on Medr to secure ‘proper facilities’ for the provision of relevant adult education and training.  

The duty will effectively place an additional degree of compulsion to prioritise investment in those areas of adult education and training which can have the biggest impact, and for those adults who stand to benefit most. Commencement of this duty will be subject to consultation and the necessary regulations being made. 

Medr has also been piloting a new planning process for funding part-time FE provision, to ensure spending in this area is focused and provision closely aligned to priority areas.  

These include Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Preparation for Life and Work (PREP), Personal Learning Accounts (PLAs), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Occupational Qualifications, GCSE Resits, and other local priorities.  

Adult Community Learning 

The funding we provide to Medr for Adult Learning in the Community, which is delivered by adult learning partnerships and Adult Learning Wales, provides a range of valuable opportunities in both formal and community settings.  

This includes literacy, numeracy, digital skills and leisure courses to support individuals back into learning.  

We have also invested in pilot projects, working with the voluntary sector, FE and the Open University in Wales to develop a Citizen’s Curriculum with pilots focussed on different aspects of citizen-centred learning.  

Prisoner Learning  

Learning and Skills in Welsh prisons is a devolved responsibility.  

In August 2024, the Welsh Government published the “Better Learning, Better Chances: prison learning and skills provision in Wales” policy which enables us to set out, for the first time, our vision for a safe and inclusive learning environment in the Welsh prison estate.  

Learning and skills provision is a powerful tool for rehabilitation. Our overall vision is to deliver learning that engages and inspires individuals, helping them to become job ready and gain and retain sustainable employment.  The policy was developed with our partners, stakeholders and people with lived experience of learning and skills provision in prisons, enabling us to gain a clearer understanding of the barriers facing learners and the employability and skills provision needed to support them.   

On a recent visit to HMP Berwyn, I was able to meet learners and staff in the prison, and see how the Welsh Government funded learning and skills provision and employability support works together to maximise opportunities for prisoners to move into employment upon release.   

I also saw how highly valued the learning and skills support is by learners in the justice system, and the positive impact it has. 

Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW) 

The CQFW enables the recognition of qualifications across all sectors and levels of the education system. It supports parity of esteem between academic and vocational routes and helps learners to see progression routes.  

The CQFW supports the concept of lifelong learning in Wales and helps people to fulfil their potential irrespective of background or circumstance. It encourages flexibility for learners, especially those disengaged from learning to raise skills levels and allowing them to learn in their own time, own pace and place.  

The CQFW maintains links with the qualifications frameworks of the other UK administrations and is referenced to the European Qualifications Framework which acts as a translation grid to link countries’ qualifications system and frameworks. This facilitates workforce and learner portability and mobility across geographical boundaries, by allowing qualifications to be recognised and compared. 

Looking Forward 

As we move forward, I’m excited about the opportunities ahead. By continuing to invest in adult learning and widening participation, we’re building an education system that truly serves everyone in Wales. 

Education isn’t just about economic prosperity – though that’s certainly important. It’s about personal fulfilment, community resilience, and social justice. It’s about creating a Wales where everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential, regardless of their background or circumstances. 

That’s the vision that drives me as Minister, and it’s the future we’re working to create together. 

By Vikki Howells, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Welsh Government