Urgent action needed or Welsh-medium education for all ‘will take until the year 2424’

Stephen Price

A Welsh language campaign group has hit out at a ‘disappointing’ 0.2% increase in the number of children attending Welsh medium schools, at odds with the Welsh Government’s target for one million Welsh speakers by 2050.

According to new figures released by Stats Wales, there was only a 0.2% increase in the percentage of children in Welsh-medium education over the past year.

Figures show that 20% of children attended Welsh-medium education in the academic year 2023/24, rising to 20.2% in 2024/25.

According to the language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith, this slow growth is evidence that much more needs to be done in order to give the Welsh language to all children through the education system and in order to reach the Welsh Government’s target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050.

“Disappointing”

According to Toni Schiavone, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s Education Group: “These disappointing figures show clearly the Welsh Government’s failure to normalise the Welsh language in our education system over a period of decades.

“Currently, only 20.2% of children receive a Welsh-medium education – a figure that has remained stagnant for twenty years. This means that the vast majority of our children and young people continue to be excluded from their right to learn their national language, and all the cultural, social and economic benefits that come with that.”

During the final stages of the passage of the Welsh Government’s Welsh Language and Education Bill through the Senedd in May, Mark Drakeford, the Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for the Welsh language, promised to consult on a target to ensure that 50% of children are in Welsh-medium education by the year 2050.

Welsh Government response

Cymdeithas yr Iaith has noted that if the current rate growth continues, that target would in fact not be reached until the year 2174, and that the wider goal of Welsh-medium education for all would not be reached until the year 2424.

Toni Schiavone added: “Passing legislation is one thing, but if we really want to give the Welsh language to every child, we must see significant investment and planning in our education system and workforce.

“Unfortunately, there is no sign of that happening at the moment.”

A spokesperson from the Welsh Government said: “By 2050, we’re aiming to give all children in Wales a fair opportunity to become independent, confident Welsh speakers by the time they reach the end of compulsory school age, regardless of their background and the language category of the school they attend.”