Calls to support "insufficient but essential" amendment

A week ahead of a crucial debate in the Senedd on the Welsh Language and Education Bill, we have called on Senedd Members from all parties to support an amendment to the Bill tabled by Cefin Campbell MS which would place a target within the legislation to ensure that 50% of children will receive Welsh-medium education by 2050.

The call comes despite the fact that we have been campaigning for several years for Welsh-medium education for all (100%). Currently, only around 20% of children attend Welsh-medium education. The Bill in its current form does not include any target at all on how many children will be in Welsh-medium education in the future.

The Welsh Language and Education Bill’s objective is to ensure that more young people receive Welsh-medium education over time, but Cymdeithas yr Iaith has warned that the Bill as it stands is likely to fail, and that a statutory target must be included in the Bill in order to ensure progress towards the goal of Welsh-medium education for all.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith is therefore calling on Senedd Members from all parties to support an amendment that would place a target of 50% within the Bill itself, in the stage 3 debate on the Bill which will be held on Tuesday 6 May.

Toni Schiavone, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s Education Group, said:
"We’re glad that our Government and Senedd are legislating in this area, but the lack of a target in the Bill for the number of children attending Welsh-medium education is a fundamental weakness which means that the legislation as it stands will fail.
"This amendment, if passed, would place a target within the Bill itself that half the children of Wales will receive Welsh-medium education by 2050, which would legally bind future governments to this aim.
“We are clear that the aim should be Welsh-medium education for all, and we are disappointed that politicians have not pursued this path. But the fact that there is no target at all for increasing Welsh-medium education in the Bill as it stands is such a fundamental weakness, we see this amendment as an insufficient but essential one in order to ensure progress towards Welsh language education for all, which is a matter of justice for future generations."

The Welsh Language and Education Bill, and all tabled amendments, will be debated in the Senedd on Tuesday 6 May, and Cymdeithas yr Iaith is calling on politicians from all parties to support the amendment to set a target within the Bill itself that 50% of children will be in Welsh-medium education by 2050.