At this key point in the development of the Welsh Language Strategy, and of pressing need for a meaningful process to ensure that the aim of creating a million Welsh speakers is reached, Dyfodol was grateful of the recent opportunity to meet with Kirsty Williams and Alun Davies.

If we are to realise this vision, then clearly, education, a significant growth in Welsh-medium education, and ensuring a suitably-qualified workforce will be essential. This was our main message for the politicians and civil servants. In addition to this, we also stressed the importance of structures and policies which encourage a positive response to the language at all levels; from the Welsh Government to local authorities, to sharing the message of the benefits of Welsh education amongst parents and soon-to-be parents. This was set firmly within the context of ensuring that that the planned million speakers be given opportunities to learn Welsh to a high standard and be given opportunities to use it across a wide range of situations and experiences.

We received a positive hearing and were encouraged by the Government’s confirmation of the need to raise language and cultural awareness and to promote the Welsh language beyond the classroom.

It was also confirmed that Aled Roberts’s report on Welsh Language in Education Strategic Schemes (i.e. the local authorities’ schemes) is expected within the next few weeks. We repeated our opinion that these schemes need to be overhauled. One important improvement would be to significantly extend the current three year cycle to facilitate the long term planning of Welsh language education. We would also call for language monitoring to start from when the child enters the education system, rather than at 7 years old, as is the current requirement.

We will await the White Paper, which is due to be published this summer for more information on the Government’s plans and for further details regarding the establishment of an Agency to promote the language.

Dyfodol i’r Iaith have called upon the Welsh Minister to conduct an urgent inquiry into the lack of commitment show by some local authorities to improve and develop Welsh schools within their counties. This call follows a reply received from the Education Secretary’s Office in response to Dyfodol’s enquiry regarding the allocation of 21st Century Schools funding for Welsh schools by local authority area.

According to the Education Secretary’s Office, 6 counties – Blaenau Gwent, Flint, Merthyr Tudful, Monmouth, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Wrexham, have all chosen to allocate 5% or less the funding to Welsh medium schools.

In total, these counties spent £286,750,000.00 – more than a quarter of a billion pounds – on investing in schools, but only £2,726,636 on Welsh schools. Rhondda Cynon Taf spent £159,291,853 on English schools and only £798,147 on Welsh schools.

Blaenau Gwent, Flint a Merthyr Tudful spent nothing on Welsh schools, but £103,450,000 on English schools.

Since the authorities themselves are responsible for allocating the priorities for this expenditure, it is highly significant that these 6 authorities spent little or none of the funding on Welsh schools.

Heini Gruffudd, Dyfodol’s Chair said:

“These figures are a sorry reflection of the lack of commitment that exists in some areas towards the growth of the Welsh language. As an organisation we have from the start been critical of the Welsh Language Education Schemes; in terms of individual schemes and the political will to lead on their development.

With the Welsh Language Strategy aiming to create a million Welsh speakers by 2050, it is agreed that this aim cannot be achieved without a robust commitment to develop Welsh medium education. The current situation means that the whole work is under threat from the start.

We call on the Minister to get to grips with the situation at once, and conduct a full and detailed inquiry into these authorities’ failure to contribute to the Government’s strategic vision.

Further Information:

Throughout Wales £1,497,726,000 was spent on schools.

£441,405,602 (29.5%) was spent on Welsh schools

Figures for the six counties:

Blaenau Gwent                Expenditure: £20,500,000             On Welsh schools: £0 = 0%

Flint                                     Expenditure: £64,200,000  On Welsh schools: £0 = 0%

Merthyr Tudful                  Expenditure: £19,000,000  On Welsh schools: £0 = 0%

Monmouth                         Expenditure: £93,400,00   On Welsh schools:£1,000,000 = 1%

Rhondda Cynon Taf         Expenditure: £160,000,000  On Welsh schools: £708,147 = 0.5%

Wrexham                           Expenditure: £22,300,000 On Welsh schools: : £1,018,489 = 5%