Now we read about another example of the policy to eradicate English medium education in Carmarthenshire. Glasnost (2016) has written a piece comparing the policy to George Orwell's 1984 and the overly burdensome state interfering in all that we do. Parents are once again complaining about the intolerant policy of coercion.
Why would Carmarthenshire want to close one school and open a Welsh medium school only? It is simply down to Labour's policy to increase the number of people that speak and use Cymraeg. There is absolutely NO mandate for this policy. How many people actually vote for Labour? 16% of the population according to one commenter. In the last election, only 41.8% of people actually turned out to vote for anyone. Yet Labour pursues its' devastatingly damaging policies with nowhere near a majority.
In this election, the collusion between Plaid and Labour is evident here
I watch with eager anticipation at the result of the election and I hope for a new voice to be heard across Wales. Labour's complacency has for far too long been left unchecked. It is time for those with an alternative opinion to be heard. But not just heard, to be treated fairly and to be given back the freedom to choose a language to learn, if bilingualism is the panacea for all ills Labour would have us believe it is. Children and families need to be able to choose the path that is best for them. If a child is great at languages then let them explore this field in a class with like-minded individuals. However, if they are great at art or coding let them freely explore that area unhindered. After all, with the prevalence of MOOCs and online courses and training, parents and children will opt out of formal coerced education in favour of a tailored suite of instruction sensitive to the needs of the individual. Time is up for Labour's hollow folly.
End Cymraeg coercion.
Updating this story: (May 2016)
Dalling, R. (2016, April 27). Llangennech parents unanimously vote against controversial Welsh-medium school plans. Retrieved May 3, 2016, from http://www.llanellistar.co.uk/Llangennech-parents-unanimously-vote/story-29186401-detail/story.html
There is also a very interesting blog on this issue:
Keep Llangennech Primary Dual Stream. (n.d.). Retrieved May 3, 2016, from https://keepllangennechprimarydualstream.wordpress.com/
Update May 24th
References
1984 for real: Death of English Medium Education for primary school pupils in Wales | Glasnost. (2016). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.glasnost.org.uk/2016/04/1984-for-real-death-of-english-medium-education-for-primary-school-pupils-in-wales/
Dalling, R. (2016, April 27). Llangennech parents unanimously vote against controversial Welsh-medium school plans. Retrieved May 3, 2016, from http://www.llanellistar.co.uk/Llangennech-parents-unanimously-vote/story-29186401-detail/story.html
Keep Llangennech Primary Dual Stream. (n.d.). Retrieved May 3, 2016, from https://keepllangennechprimarydualstream.wordpress.com/
Shipton, M. (2016). 10 days to go: The latest polling on the battle for the Assembly. walesonline. Retrieved 25 April 2016, from http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/what-latest-polling-shows-battle-11237413
South Wales Evening Post: discussion by Penyfai. (2011). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/discussions/Carmarthenshire-County-Council-want-eradicate-EM/discussion-13871749-detail/discussion.html
Welsh Assembly elections turnout rates | 1999-2011. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2016, fromhttp://www.statista.com/statistics/284390/welsh-assembly-elections-turnout-rates/
An interesting piece, well written.
ReplyDeleteI have always wondered about the hypocrisy of the drive for Welsh medium schooling. I am old enough to remember the rhetoric of early agitation for Welsh medium schooling, in those days it was all about the freedom of choice for parents whose life was lived through Welsh. The logic was this:- "When a child has known no other language but Welsh it is cruel and inhumane to take that child to a school environment where only English is spoken. The child can only suffer in his schooling and lose self esteem and confidence." A younger me was very much of this opinion too.
In 1974 a head of Council in Gwynedd made a ground breaking announcement that, such were the benefits of bilingualism, and so certain the "immersion" method of teaching a second language, that he had no alternative in good conscience but to make all Primary schools in Gwynedd (and Anglesey at that time) Welsh Medium only.
What breathtaking hypocrisy this was.
Now the argument has moved on and the whole of Wales has been sold the lie that Welsh medium schooling is some sort of panacea for all educational ills. Wales must be compared to multilingual Holland, Sweden, Finland if they do it, why can't we? I have even seen parents who don't want Welsh medium schooling for their children described as "child abusers". How loathsome can these WM agitators get before people in Wales wake up?
In reality there is a "Needs must" about language tuition in Europe and the rest of the world, to thrive they must learn English. The mechanics of schooling in other countries, the foundation stones, are always in the FIRST language of the child and English is brought in later but still as a "taught" language with increasing immersion (subject lessons in English). In an English speaking world other countries are blessed with endless easy access to interesting English resources and the language is learned well. All World langauges are relatively easy to access.
Welsh? Well, if you are going to work in Wales, well North Wales, Well North West and West Wales...then you benefit from Welsh FLUENCY but less than that is useless.
Plaid/Labour and all the other self serving parties are lying to Welsh people but a lie told often enough is accepted as truth.
Thank you for your considered comment. I feel it is imperative that we record for posterity the decline in English medium provision in Wales and draw attention to the lies told to us time and time again. Labour's policies have been hidden behind new definitions released in 2007. At that time Plaid was also in power and now I fear they will be brought in to government again by Labour just when the curriculum is being reviewed.
DeleteSchools are defined by this document - Welsh Government | Defining schools according to Welsh medium provision
Welsh Government | Defining schools according to Welsh medium provision . (2007). Gov.wales. Retrieved 26 April 2016, from http://gov.wales/topics/educationandskills/publications/guidance/defining-schools-welsh-medium/?lang=en
The message is clear English medium education is unimportant, it is defined a category 4, but there are 6 categories of Welsh medium education!
I'm really not impressed that you've decided to use a post from my social media account without actually asking in advance. And to use it in an article that the subject was being discussed over (which for the record as you ever so conveniently left it out was originally referring to PCC elections and not the assembly) is just laughable.
ReplyDeleteGoing on to the point that I made, UKIP are a dangerous party. I'm gay and many of their members have said things draconian about the way I was born that is just not acceptable anymore. With the voting system that is in place in the assembly, you have all parties crying out for people with other political allegiances to "lend them their second vote", UKIP being one of them. Wholly innacurate to the context of my tweet.
Thank you for clarifying your position, however, you are celebrating political collusion regardless of the context of your tweet. Collusion designed to exclude other people's opinions from the election process.
DeleteThank you for your comments regarding UKIP, however, to me Plaid is far more of a dangerous party and has directly led to job losses which affected my family and my community. Their polices of coercion and oppression and now, you, celebrating collusion, are detrimental to individual freedom of expression and freedom representation. Closing a Cat 2Ch school to open a Cat 1 school is ruining communities of people some straight and I am sure some gay, nevertheless, they are all still people. They are still losing their jobs or their schools or their communities and it is happening now, under YOUR watch. Are you aware your party supports this coercion?
You are welcome to your opinion but I humbly disagree with it.