Cymdeithas yr Iaith has today released the text of a letter sent to Carwyn Jones by 18 educationalists and prominent people from all walks of Welsh life calling on him to act urgently to ensure that all pupils gain proficiency in Welsh.

Among the signatories to the letter are the prominent educationalists and language tutors Ioan Talfryn, Cefin Campbell, Simon Brooks and Nia Royles, the Welsh Language Board's former Chief Executive Meiron Prys Davies, Archdruid Christine James and Chaired Bard Mererid Hopwood, Assembly Member Llyr Gruffydd and national rugby coach Robin McBryde.

In the letter they express their disappointment that the government has decided to leave all consideration of reforming Welsh "Second Language" teaching until Stage 2 of their Curriculum Review which is over a year away.

Ffred Ffransis, who signed the letter on behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, explains "The report commissioned by the government itself recognising that teaching Welsh as a "second language" has failed, and I can testify to this myself as someone who had to learn Welsh the hard way. The Government is currently in the middle of Stage 1 of its Curriculum Review which deals with communication and literacy, but they obviously dont believe that all pupils in Wales should develop communications and literacy skills in both languages. Yet again we see a lack of awareness by the government of the crisis facing the language as demonstrated by the Census results.

The call is one of the six policy changes Cymdeithas yr Iaith has made to the First Minister in  response to the crisis facing the language highlighted by the Census results.