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Welsh medium education is growing compared to the general picture which shows numbers of pupils in Wales are falling but there is no strategy in place to train Welsh medium teachers, with the supply depending on the decisions of individual training institutions. This is the message of a report presented by RhAG to a committee established by the Welsh Assembly Government to review teacher training.
According to the report, written by Heini Gruffudd, a member of RhAG, "There is evidence that there is a shortage of appropriate staff for the Welsh medium sector in general." The areas where the shortage is greatest are: English, Modern languages, Physics, Mathematics, Science, Vocational (plumbing, electricians, building, engineering, catering), and Services to pupils with special educational needs. There are, however, exceptions to the general shortage, most notably when the new
Welsh medium secondary school was established in Swansea and "there were around 120 applicants for just seven or so jobs".
The report concludes that the needs of Welsh medium teacher training should be part of a national policy rather than being left to individual colleges to decide; Welsh medium training should not be subject to the same financial considerations as the English medium sector when dealing with minority subjects and where there is a
comparatively small number of graduates involved; training institutions should give the same rights to Welsh medium students as well as English medium students by ensuring they have qualified staff to train, review and assess through the medium of Welsh; courses should be structured to allow bilingual students to receive teaching experience in Welsh medium schools; steps should be taken to ensure there are enough teachers for the expected growth of Welsh medium education; staff in bilingual schools should receive language training to enable them to teach in Welsh; there should be a broad programme established to teach Welsh to key members of staff in English medium schools to allow them to offer one or more subjects through the medium of Welsh.
The committee is expected to present its recommendations to the Welsh Assembly Government by the end of September this year.
ends
Heini Gruffudd's report is available to download (Welsh only). Go to download page.
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