Commenting on yesterday’s Written Statement from the First Minister and Education Minister on Welsh as a second language, Aled Roberts AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on the Welsh Language said:
“I welcome the Welsh Government’s acknowledgement of the importance of promoting Welsh as a second language and that at last it has been recognised that improvements are “overdue”.
“To date, the Welsh Labour Government’s commitment to our language has been luke-warm to say the least, and it is important that these revised plans are closely monitored and have clear timescales attached.
“If we want our language to grow and thrive then we need to be promoting it as strongly as possible, and schools have a major role to play.
“Consideration of Welsh as a second language needs to go hand-in-hand with an appreciation by the Welsh Government that there are many children who would like to learn through the medium of Welsh but the places available to them are far too limited. The Welsh in Education Strategic Plans (WESPs) which the Education Minister is currently reviewing are a crucial factor in the long term.
“I would like to see a formal monitoring mechanism being attached to today’s announcement and look forward to discussing developments with Welsh Ministers in the coming weeks.
“The Welsh Government needs to ensure that priority is given within the current review to undertaking a fundamental reappraisal of the teaching of Welsh as a second language, and that review needs to include a mature debate regarding more radical approaches in the future”.
