A new qualifications body is to be set up in Wales, Education Minister Leighton Andrews has announced.
Called Qualifications Wales, the Welsh Government wants the organisation to award qualifications and regulate the quality of them in Wales. Degrees will be excluded from its remit.
Mr Andrews told the Senedd this week that he hoped the WJEC exam board could be folded into the body.
He said: “My officials are working on the details of the work to establish Qualifications Wales. As part of this they have already held a productive workshop with (former Scottish Qualifications Authority chairman) John McCormick and they will continue to have detailed discussions with him and with SQA officials.
“As I said in my written statement, one of the early tasks is to commission a due diligence review. On the basis of its findings, we will develop detailed proposals and a business case in the first half of 2013 to ensure the viability and value for money of our proposed new approach.
“Our aim is that from September 2015, Qualifications Wales will take responsibility for awarding qualifications including the majority of general qualifications. Clearly this will have implications for the WJEC. So we are engaging with them.
“I am also engaged in discussions with local government leaders on this issue and will be continuing this dialogue.”