Mounting Pressure In Support of Welsh Medium Education - Coalition Demands "Make Welsh the Medium of Instruction"

A panel of educational experts added their voices to the growing chorus of ­­­­­Welsh language activists who have called for making Welsh a medium of instruction in primary and secondary schools in Wales. If this were to happen it would have huge consequences, not only for the future of the Welsh but for all the Celtic tongues. The announcement came at the recent opening of the Urdd Eisteddfod, the annual Welsh-language youth festival of literature, music and performing arts.

 The panel calling for Welsh Medium education includes linguist David Crystal, Gethin Thomas who is the current head of the Welsh Medium Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant (the y first Welsh medium Primary School supported by a local authority which opened in 1947) and Professor Christine James of Bangor University.

 In response to the announcement, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg spokesman Ffred Ffransis commented:  “It’s not fair that the majority of pupils…are deprived of the ability to work and communicate in Welsh…The contemptuous idea of second language Welsh is a failure, and the Government should change direction so that every pupil learns Welsh as their own language and receives at least some of their education through the medium of Welsh…Even Carwyn Jones (First Minister of Wales) has said that second language Welsh is a failure. Of course change in the curriculum will take time to deliver. The government should state its aim and new direction next month and establish a professional working group to monitor yearly progress towards the goal.”

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (Welsh Language Society) have long  been calling for the abolition of the concept of “Welsh as a Second Language”, and have instead called for reforms to ensure that every pupil is given the opportunity through the education system to be educated in the medium of both Welsh and English. 

 The Welsh medium primary school (Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant) mentioned above is a prototype of the new Welsh medium model. Today the school has over 450 Primary level students taught in Welsh.  In Year 3 English is introduced thus producing a bi-lingual student population on transfer to Secondary education.

 In Sepember 2013 a broad coalition made similar demands, calling for making Welsh the medium of instruction in Welsh primary schools. The coalition included Rugby Coach Robin McBryde, MP Susan Elan Jones, Welsh  Assembly members Ann Jones (Labour) and Llyr Gruffyadd (Plaid Cymru),  Plaid Cymru MP Johnathan Edwards and numerous Councillors and Educators.  At that time Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg spokesman Ffred Ffransis made the following statement:

"Welsh is not a 'second' language but belongs to every young person in Wales, and it is an educational failing if pupils leave school at a disadvantage of being unable to communicate and work in Welsh in a modern bilingual country. We need a system where every pupil receives at least part of the curriculum through the medium of Welsh so that they can use the language confidently."

The notion of Welsh medium education enjoys wide support amongst the electorate in Wales. A poll released late last year, sponsored by Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, showed that  63% of the people surveyed agreed that schools “should teach all pupils to communicate effectively in Welsh” thus ensuring graduates enjoy a command of the Welsh tongue upon graduation.  Studies have shown that bilingually schooled students academically outperform monolingually schooled students.

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