Wales: “digital skills are as important as learning to read or write”

The Welsh Government in Cardiff Bay has announced new plans to improve children’s IT skills, today’s Wales Online reports.

All aspects of the curriculum for Welsh schoolchildren will include digital skills for the first time this term to prepare pupils better for life, with such skills not being confined solely to information and communications technology (ICT) or computer science classes.

Following 2 independent reviews whose recommendation was the improved delivery of key skills, the Welsh Government’s Digital Competence Framework (DCF) is now available to all schools. The DCF is designed for all children, including those with additional learning needs.

Ahead of the DCF’s launch today at a Cardiff school, Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams said: “This radical new approach is about embedding digital skills and knowledge in everything our pupils do as they progress through school. Our teachers will increasingly be using digital skills into their lessons, alongside literacy and numeracy, as they are now fundamental to the modern world.”

Echoing the minister’s remarks, Owen Hathway, policy officer for the NUT Cymru trade union, said ensuring pupils leave school with proficient digital skills was critical.

Education in Wales in a devolved matter and is not controlled from Whitehall.