Musicians to call for more Welsh-medium education in Cardiff at special gig

Emily Price 

A group of musicians will perform at a gig with a difference in Cardiff this evening to raise awareness of a campaign for more Welsh-medium education in Wales’ capital.

The event – organised by the campaign group Ysgol De Caerdydd – will take place at the Canopi venue on Tudor Street on Thursday (August 28).

A group of musicians from the neighbourhood will perform in the name of the campaign for a Welsh-medium secondary school for south Cardiff.

They form a part of a wider group of parents who, for the best part of a year, have been pushing Cardiff Council to address the notable absence of such a school in the area.

Birth rate

There are currently three Welsh-medium secondary schools in the capital – Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf in Llandaff, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr in Fairwater and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern in Penylan.

But some parents whose children were able to secure a place at Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf – one of city’s most oversubscribed schools – say they face a 30 minute journey.

Cardiff Council previously argued that a drop in the birth rate meant there are not enough pupils to sustain another Welsh school despite some parents having to drive halfway across the city.

Speaking on behalf of the campaign group, Carl Morris said: “Children and families from Butetown have had to endure the excruciating appeals process because of the pressure on the catchment secondary school, while those from the south of the city who get a place face a long journey outside their community.

“Many challenges arise with that – from prolonged travel to missing out on extra curricular activities.

“It’s high time that communities here have a Welsh medium school and that the council takes seriously its responsibility to promote the Welsh language and increase accessibility.

“To that end we are delighted that a number of talented musicians have come together to sing for the cause and challenge the current inaction of the Labour-run Council and the leader Huw Thomas.

“While we can’t offer his own first choice of Mancunians Oasis, we will see some of the best homegrown Welsh talent Cardiff has to offer.”

Musicians

Among the performers will be legendary musician Cian Ciarán – fresh from composing a 6 hour audio installation.

The singer has previously been involved in efforts over a decade ago to establish Ysgol Hamadryad and recently fought Cardiff Council to get his eldest son into Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf.

Ciarán has branded the local authority’s secondary school selection criteria “outdated and discriminatory”.

He said: “Children are being penalised as Cardiff Council are manifestly under-prepared – the secondary schools’ admissions process is in disarray.

“The annual lottery has highlighted the dire state of education in Cardiff.

“Kids shouldn’t have to be treated as numbers on a spreadsheet, waiting to fall victim to wastage.

‘Equality’

He added: “The council’s plans, or lack of, for secondary Welsh medium education going forward desperately need attention.

“Merely providing the opportunity of Welsh-medium education does not provide equality of outcome or equity versus equality.

“Hamadryad kids are being penalised and discriminated against over other catchment schools on the arbitrary basis of distance, when they are all within the Glantaf cluster.

“We need to remember that the challenges we are facing are the thin end of the wedge when it comes to the deep and widespread problems facing families with respect to access to secondary education in Butetown.

“The situation as a whole is nothing short of a disgrace and self-evidently discriminatory.”

‘Reasonable’

Ciarán’s sense of frustration is shared by the other artists taking part in the event this evening including Joe O’Connell, of the band Good Things.

He said: “I’m a parent of two children in Welsh medium education, one in primary school and one just about to start in secondary.

“It is clear to me that the city needs more Welsh language education provision at secondary level.

“Children deserve the opportunity to attend school within a reasonable distance of their home.

“My daughter, who lives outside the required distance to obtain a free bus pass to school, will be getting the train or cycling from September.

“We are fortunate to be able to afford the costs this will entail, but that may not be the case for all families and may result in a drop off of children continuing through Welsh medium education over the long term.

“The city deserves better and the case for a new school in the south of Cardiff is clear and compelling.”

Jam

Chris Young of Monkjack, the funksters fresh from Brecon Jazz will also take part in the event performing a jam session.

Singer and presenter Lisa Angharad will also perform alongside her partner Rhys Gwynfor.

Cardiff Council says it remains dedicated to promoting the benefits of bilingual education.