THE Welsh language belongs to everyone in Wales, whatever their background. However, at the moment, 80 per cent of young people in Wales are deprived of the language because of the failure of our education system to grow and normalise Welsh education.

It is clear that a major change is needed, and the results of the 2021 census, which showed a fall in the number of young people who can speak Welsh, underlines the urgency.

Following campaigning by Cymdeithas yr Iaith (the Welsh Language Society), the Welsh government has committed to introducing a new Welsh Education Act.

The government’s white paper for the Act was published in March and there are several things to welcome, such as the intention to ensure that all children become confident Welsh speakers, targets for local authorities to grow Welsh-medium education and a duty to provide immersion centres.

However, the white paper’s proposals do not go far enough towards widening access to Welsh-medium education for all children.

The white paper sets a goal that 50 per cent of pupils in Wales receive Welsh-medium education by 2050, but this would continue to deprive 50 per cent of pupils.

Welsh-medium education is the only way to ensure confident Welsh speakers, so a goal of 100 per cent should be set. With national and local statutory targets that would be possible over time.

If the government is serious about ensuring that every child becomes a confident Welsh speaker, it needs to be clearly stated in the Bill that all schools will move along the linguistic continuum to become Welsh-medium schools over time.

A national framework with statutory targets for all local authorities and a new funding system based on clear financial incentives linked to the local targets are needed to realise that.

How many of us went through the “Welsh as a second language” system and got the GCSE, but still don't feel we can speak Welsh or use it in everyday life?  

The Bill must also implement one Welsh learning continuum and one GCSE Welsh-language qualification for each pupil. Otherwise, pupils in English-medium and bilingual schools will not become confident Welsh speakers.

Of course, there are shortcomings in the planning for and recruitment of education workers. Existing staff should be upskilled, and initial training courses for teachers extended for up to a year, for trainees to learn Welsh or follow a language refresher course.

The Bill should also include statutory targets to ensure that there are enough education workers to work through the medium of Welsh. To reach those targets wages will need to be raised and adequate support and resources will be needed for staff.

The white paper’s vision is admirable, but the recommendations themselves must reflect it and make sure it is realised so that every child in Wales, whatever their background, wherever they live, grows up to speak the language that is their right and heritage: our national language.