Cabinet Secretary for Education (Wales)

Cabinet Secretary for Education of Wales
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg (Welsh)
Incumbent Lynne Neagle MS since 21 March 2024 (2024-03-21)
Welsh Government
Style	Welsh Minister
Status	Cabinet Minister
Abbreviation	Education Secretary
Member of	the Senedd Cabinet
Reports to	the Senedd and the First Minister of Wales
Seat	Cardiff
Nominator	First Minister of Wales
Appointer	The Crown
Term length	Five years Subject to elections to the Senedd which take place every five years
Formation	12 May 1999
First holder	Rosemary Butler AM
Salary	£105,701 per annum[1]
Website	www.gov.wales/lynne-neagle-ms

The Cabinet Secretary for Education (Welsh: Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg) is a Cabinet minister in the Welsh Government who leads the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (Welsh: Yr Adran Addysg a Sgiliau). The current officeholder is Lynne Neagle, who has served in the role since 2024.

The Department is responsible for education, training and children's services in Wales under powers devolved from the Department for Children, Schools and Families of the UK government under Schedule 5 of the Government of Wales Act 2006.^[2]

Name		Picture	Party	Entered office	Left office	Government	Notes
	Rosemary Butler AM		Labour	12 May 1999	16 October 2000	Michael	Secretary for Education Tom Middlehurst served as Secretary for Education and Training (Post-16) for the same period.
						Interim Rhodri Morgan
	Jane Davidson AM			16 October 2000 [3]	6 June 2007	1st Rhodri Morgan	Minister for education and lifelong learning.
						2nd Rhodri Morgan
	Carwyn Jones AM			6 June 2007 [4]	19 July 2007	3rd Rhodri Morgan	Minister for Education, Culture and the Welsh Language.
	Jane Hutt AM			19 July 2007[5]	10 December 2009	4th Rhodri Morgan	Minister for Education, Children, Lifelong Learning & Skills
	Leighton Andrews AM			10 December 2009	25 June 2013	1st Jones	Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning (2009-2011) Minister for Education and Skills (2011-2013) (including Welsh Language)
						2nd Jones
	Huw Lewis AM			26 June 2013	19 May 2016		Minister for Education and Skills
	Kirsty Williams MS		Liberal Democrat	19 May 2016	13 May 2021	3rd Jones	Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. Titled changed to Minister for Education in December 2018[6]
						1st Drakeford
	Jeremy Miles MS		Labour	13 May 2021	20 March 2024	2nd Drakeford	Minister for Education and Welsh Language
	Lynne Neagle MS		Labour	21 March 2024	Incumbent	1st Gething	Cabinet Secretary for Education
						Eluned Morgan

• Education in Wales

• Department for Education and Skills website