Plans to teach all pupils in Wales to become confident Welsh speakers have been published by the Welsh Government. The proposals include increasing the number of Welsh-medium schools and boosting Welsh language provision in English-medium schools.
School language categories would also be put on a statutory basis for the first time. Cardiff Bay said this would give “a clear, accurate image of Welsh language provision in all maintained schools in Wales”.
A single Welsh language skills path would be created to describe skill levels so that learners, teachers, parents and employers "have a common understanding of the journey towards learning Welsh". As part of the co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru, the plans are published in a White Paper setting out proposals for a new Welsh Language Education Bill.
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The aim is to enable all pupils in Wales “to become confident Welsh speakers through the statutory education system”, the Welsh Government said.
The main proposals include:
- Reflecting the target of a million Welsh speakers in law;
- Creating a single Welsh language skills continuum to describe skill levels so that learners, teachers, parents and employers have a common understanding of the journey towards learning Welsh;
- Establishing a statutory system of categorising maintained schools according to language-medium
- Enhance Welsh language provision in maintained schools that are not already designated Welsh-medium schools;
- Require Welsh Ministers to create a statutory National Plan for the acquisition and learning of Welsh, and review it in each Senedd term
- Reform how local authorities plan Welsh language provision in schools in order to meet targets set by the Welsh Ministers
- Put requirements on local authorities to pro actively promote Welsh-medium education, including late immersion provision; and providing specialist support for schools with Welsh language learning.
The paper also includes a commitment for the Welsh Government, through the Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru, to conduct a study to consider more ambitious growth of Welsh medium education for 2050 and beyond. The proposals will mean an increase in the number of Welsh medium schools and also an increase in the Welsh language provision in schools that aren’t already designated Welsh-medium schools, the Welsh Government said.
A “National Plan” created by the Welsh ministers will give clear targets to each local authority for improving their Welsh language provision, including national targets for Welsh-medium teacher recruitment. The Welsh Government is asking for views on the proposals through a consultation which is open until June 16, 2023 and is committed to introducing a bill in this Senedd term.
Education Minister Jeremy Miles said: “We are committed to a future where everyone has the ability and the opportunity to use Welsh in their everyday lives. That’s why we are consulting on proposals to put our aims into law and to improve Welsh language skills in all schools.
“Cymraeg belongs to us all so it’s important that everyone has their say. Please answer the consultation and make your views heard.”
Plaid Cymru’s Designated Member, Cefin Campbell, added: “Our long-held vision is that the education system is absolutely key in giving each child the gift of fluency in the Welsh language. Bilingualism and multilingualism are the norm across Europe; the proposals in the White Paper take us further towards ensuring that our education system delivers Welsh to all pupils in a way that creates confident speakers.
“I am pleased that we have been able to work together on those areas we have been able to find common ground on proposals that will bring about a significant shift in approach and to produce new principles for education in Wales.”
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