Campaigners have made a joint call for the next Welsh Government to ensure every child receives Welsh-medium education in an effort to target creating one million Welsh speakers ahead of a rally in Cardiff. 

 

Several groups, including teachers union UCAC, umbrella language group Dathlu'r Gymraeg and Merched y Wawr, will sign a statement calling on all parties standing in the Assembly elections to transform the way Welsh is taught. Their statement calls for: abolishing second language Welsh and, instead, create one continuum of learning Welsh; a degree of Welsh-medium education for every pupil and in every school in Wales; the establishing of the Welsh language as a core subject for every pupil; and a continuous increase in the percentage of subjects taught through the medium of Welsh in every educational institution. 

 

The statement will be officially signed at the 'One Million Welsh Speakers' rally in Cardiff on Saturday where the singer and comedian Caryl Parry Jones, UCAC General Secretary Elaine Edwards and the singer Kizzy Crawford from Aberfan will be among the speakers. The event is part of a Cymdeithas yr Iaith bus tour aimed at raising the profile of the Welsh language ahead of this year's Assembly elections. 

 

Jamie Bevan, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, who will sign the statement on behalf of the campaign group, commented: 

 

"We're very pleased that groups have come together to speak up in favour of Welsh-medium education for all. It's key to growing the Welsh language and reaching our one million speakers goal. The education system should not deprive a single child of the right to be able to communicate and work in Welsh. At the moment, our system is failing and is creating second-class citizens, they don't have the same work or cultural opportunities as others. That's because of a postcode lottery of access to Welsh-medium education, their financial circumstance, or their parents' choice.   

 

"As we speak to people across the political spectrum, it's clear there's a growing consensus behind us. The challenge to  the next Welsh Government is to act to meet people's aspirations and ensure the system delivers for every child, not only the lucky ones. There's now no reason for the parties to be under any illusion about the view of the people of Wales, and there's no reason to delay taking action."  

The 'Million Welsh Speakers' rally will be held at 1pm, Saturday 13th February on the steps of the Crown Court in the centre of Cardiff.