A debate will take place in the Welsh Parliament on whether BAME history should be taught as part of a new curriculum.

More than 34,000 people have signed a petition calling for it to become compulsory for the history of black people and people of colour to be taught in Welsh educational settings.

The petition says that pupils should learn about the legacies of slavery and colonialism on BAME communities across Britain.

On Wednesday, the Welsh Parliament will debate a proposal put forward by Plaid Cymru that mandatory elements of the curriculum should include the history of black people and people of colour, and the history of Wales.

The party says that under the Welsh Government's current curriculum plans, schools would not have to teach pupils about those histories.

Shadow education minister Sian Gwenllian MS, who represents Arfon, said the recent Black Lives Matter protests had brought "into sharp focus" the need for black and people of colour history to be taught.

"The Welsh Government's Curriculum Bill does not currently making it compulsory for any school to teach Welsh history or black history," she said.

"Instead, it leaves those elements as discretionary and up to individual schools.

"Having a fully open-ended curriculum means that every pupil will not have the opportunity to learn about issues that we believe are key to creating a more equal and prosperous society and in shaping citizens who are aware of their past.

"But making these elements a statutory part of the new curriculum presents an historic opportunity to redress structural inequality in Wales and to ensure that the education system creates an equal and inclusive Wales for all in the future.

"It will ensure that the next generation of children and young people in Wales learn about anti-racism and the diversity of Wales - and that they can see the world through the window of the country in which they live - Wales.

The Welsh Government's draft Curriculum Bill will be published on July 8.

A spokeswoman for the Welsh Government said it was important for learning to be inclusive and draw on the experiences and cultural heritage of contemporary Wales.

"In the new curriculum, learners will explore the local, national and global contexts to all aspects of learning, and to make connections and develop understanding within a diverse society," she said.

"We will work with Estyn to ensure that their review of Welsh history takes full account of Welsh, and wider, BAME history, identity and culture - and we will establish a working group to oversee the development of learning resources, and identify gaps in current resources or training.

"History is not only a matter for one lesson and one subject."