The Senedd has passed landmark legislation to give all children across Wales the opportunity to confidently speak Welsh, regardless of their background or the language of the school they attend.
The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill, which was passed by the Senedd this week, aims to close the gap in Welsh speaking ability among pupils from different schools.
The Bill aims to make progress towards the 2050 target of a million speakers by strengthening the role of the Welsh language in education, with the overarching goal of ensuring that all pupils of maintained schools in Wales are independent Welsh language users when they leave school.
Welsh Language Secretary Mark Drakeford said: “The Welsh language belongs to us all. This Bill gives children and young people a better chance to become Welsh speakers, bringing us closer to our aim of one million Welsh speakers in Wales.
“As a Senedd, we have created an important, far-reaching Bill that will enable every child to become a confident Welsh speaker. I look forward to collaborating further as we implement the Bill.”
The legislation sets out three language categories for maintained schools with a minimum amount of Welsh language education to be provided by schools in each category. It will also ensure that steps are taken to provide intensive Welsh language immersion education throughout Wales, helping learners of all ages develop their skills – even those who might not currently use Welsh in their daily life.
Education Secretary Lynne Neagle added: “Our approach to late language immersion is unique. This Bill builds on the excellent work already happening in across Wales, ensuring all children can learn, use and benefit from Welsh.”
The government is supporting schools to realise this ambition by:
- Continuing grant schemes to increase the number of Welsh-speaking teachers and assistants.
- Offering free Welsh lessons to all school staff.
