Category Archives: Education

ABERYSTWYTH PUBLIC MEETING 24/04/18 – DYFODOL’S MESSAGE

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Dyfodol i’r Iaith looks forward to seeing the Welsh Government establish an independent body to promote the Welsh language. This body will prioritise language schemes based upon the acknowledged principles of language planning. This was Cynog Dafis’s message to a meeting held in Aberystwyth at the end of April.

Although steps have been taken over the past five years in terms of individual rights, it is important to ensure that the use of the Welsh language is promoted within the home, community and the workplace. This is not an area for legislation; but rather, positive government action at grass-roots level.

We need to consider how the counties of west Wales can work together to implement policies for the benefit of the language. This focus would include economic growth and the planning of housing, in addition to increasing the use of Welsh as an administrative language within local government and other bodies.

Although progress has been made in raising the status of the Welsh language over the years, there remains a pressing need to strengthen the language in the home, community and within education. These three areas form the cornerstones for ensuring growth in the number of speakers, and in the use of the language for the future.

DYFODOL’S RESPONSE TO THE GOVERNMENT’S EDUCATION PLAN

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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

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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.”