Welsh Government unveils new Bill to boost Welsh language education

The Welsh Government has today introduced the Welsh Language and Education Bill, a significant legislative move aimed at ensuring that every child in Wales has a fair opportunity to become a confident and independent Welsh speaker, irrespective of their background or schooling.

Currently, pupils’ ability to speak Welsh varies significantly depending on the school they attend.

The new Bill aims to close this gap, offering equal language learning opportunities for all.

Government Commitment

Jeremy Miles, Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Energy, and Welsh Language, emphasised the importance of the Bill: “The Welsh language belongs to us all, and these proposals are about giving children and young people a fairer chance to become Welsh speakers.”

“There is widespread support for our vision of one million Welsh speakers, and today, we’re taking a crucial step towards realising that ambition.”

“As a government, we’re committed to building a Wales where the Welsh language thrives in every community, and where all can be proud of their bilingual or multilingual heritage and skills.”

Welsh Language Immersion Education

The Bill also proposes making Welsh language immersion education universally available across Wales.

Lynne Neagle, Cabinet Secretary for Education, highlighted the unique approach Wales takes in language immersion: “Our approach to immersing learners in the Welsh language is unique to us in Wales, and I take pride in what our teachers and educational practitioners do every day.”

“The Bill is a long-term project, and we’ll continue to support our schools to introduce more Welsh into their activities.”

Support for schools includes increasing the number of staff able to work through the medium of Welsh, developing the language skills of the existing workforce, and providing Welsh language learning materials.

Community Impact

American-born Isabella Colby Browne, who moved to Flintshire at a young age, shared her positive experience with Welsh language learning: “For a while as a learner, I was very envious of my friends who had gone to Welsh-medium schools.”

“Going to an English-medium school and then deciding to learn Welsh later, I’ve had my own unique and exciting experience of learning the language.”

“My main form of learning is through weekly online lessons with Online Welsh Learning, as well as an exciting trip to Nant Gwrtheyrn for an intermediate residential course.”

“These sessions were all free to me because I was under twenty-five [provided through a Welsh Government initiative], and I feel incredibly blessed for the experiences and opportunities offered to me.”

“Having won the Bobi Jones Medal at the Urdd Eisteddfod, I feel my hard work has paid off and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

Support from Business Leaders

The Bill also introduces a standard method for describing Welsh language ability, a move welcomed by business leaders.

Siân Goodson, Founder & Managing Director of Goodson Thomas executive search company, commented, “We recognise the value of enabling young people to be independent and confident Welsh speakers by the time they leave school.”

“We often have conversations with candidates who underestimate their language skills and work with them to bridge the gap between their perceived abilities with the expectations of our clients.”