Anna Brychan, who was appointed education and Welsh language minister last month, now has responsibility for school standards, improvement and attainment, Welsh medium education, early childhood education, and curriculum and assessment arrangements.
She also has responsibility over policies to protect and promote the Welsh language.
Setting out her priorities for the seventh Senedd term, the Caerdydd Penarth MS highlighted raising educational standards, workforce support, and strengthening skills.
She said: “This government has made education a national priority, to raise standards in our schools and ensure the best conditions for learning and teaching. The education system is currently failing too many of our children and young people.
“A lack of talent is not the problem, neither is a lack of commitment. We have children and young people who are full of potential, and we have an able and dedicated workforce.
“The problem is that the whole system hasn’t always worked together to support and unlock the potential of our learners, nor do we share data and understanding of what is needed to ensure progress in every school, in every area, consistently and powerfully.”
“We want the education system to function as one connected system: to support our children from early years right up to the point where they start working.”
Ms Brychan pledged the Welsh Government will build “an education system that works for all learners, in Welsh and English – in our two national languages – and above all else, for Wales”.
