Author Archives: Ruth Richards

MEETING TO DISCUSS AN ARMS-LENGTH BODY FOR THE WELSH LANGUAGE WITH THE MINISTER

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We recently had a very useful and positive meeting with Eluned Morgan, the new Welsh Language Minister. The main theme of our discussion was the need for a new body to promote the language.

We believe that it is essential to redress the balance towards the promotion of the Welsh language; to create more opportunities to use the language, and encourage individuals to speak it from day to day. We must of course continue to strengthen and make more flexible the enforcement element, but without extending the work to promotion, there is no hope of seeing a significant growth in the use of the Welsh language.

If we are to provide a firm foundation for this challenging work, we believe that a powerful arms’-length body has to be established to give leadership and co-ordinate all the various efforts. We have produced a bilingual leaflet outlining our opinions and vision, and it can be accessed by following the link below:

Arm’s-length Body for the Welsh Language

We also published a bilingual paper and we distributed copies to the Minister and all Assembly Members. You can read our paper using the link below:

Paper in support to establish and arm’s length Public Body for the Welsh Language


DYFODOL’S RESPONSE TO THE GOVERNMENT’S EDUCATION PLAN

Reply

Dyfodol i’r Iaith has issued a cautious response to the Welsh Government’s Strategy to develop Welsh language education over the next four years, as part of its aim to create a million Welsh speakers by the year 2050.

The organisation appreciates the background work that went into the Plan, and warmly welcomes its commitment to the growth of Welsh language education. The recognition of the need to recruit teachers is also a positive and necessary step.

The announcement comes at a key stage for the growth of the language, and Heini Gruffudd, Dyfodol’s Chair said, “This Plan has to work, given the Welsh Government’s failure to reach its goals in the past.”

He went on to explain:

“It worries us greatly that the percentage in Welsh-medium education has fallen in 9 counties over the past 5 years. Unlike the Government, we are very doubtful that the English-medium schools can deliver the dramatic and necessary change. These schools simply cannot deliver full language skills in both languages, as Welsh-medium schools are able to.

We therefore call upon the Government to create an emergency programme to ensure the growth of Welsh-medium schools.”

 

DYFODOL WELCOMES THE DECISION TO EXPAND THE COLEG CYMRAEG CENEDLAETHOL’S REMIT

Reply

Dyfodol i’r Iaith has welcomed the the Welsh Government’s decision to extend the remit of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to include further education.

The organization has long argued the importance of this sector in relation to promoting Welsh as a community language. Heini Gruffydd,  Dyfodol’s Chair said:

“ We believe that this is an important decision, particularly as Welsh-language provision and promotion within this sector has been very disappointing in the past. We look forward to seeing new develpments under the Coleg’s lead, and that the sector can now contribute to the necessary promotion of the Welsh language in the workplace and beyond.”