29-01-07
The Welsh Assembly Government's claims of Welsh medium education available to all are being made a mockery of by councils looking for cut-backs, according to RhAG (the group representing parents for Welsh medium education).
The Assembly Government has requested all local authorities to draw up a transport policy for post-16 education making clear what travel costs will be covered. This is resulting in indiscriminate cutting of journeys, regardless of the reasons for them. And RhAG claims that this is discriminating against Welsh medium education.
Research by RhAG in Swansea has revealed that:
• a high percentage of pupils in Welsh medium education lives over 3 miles from Welsh medium 16+ provision.
• of pupils now travelling on school buses, 70% wanted to continue with Welsh medium post 16 education, but only 24% would definitely take up this option if school transport were withdrawn.
• The average distance of Welsh medium education from pupil’s homes is much greater than the distance of English medium education.
• Travelling times on public transport would be prohibitive, and so would be the cost.
• Public transport is unlikely to be available for many pupils for convenient travel at school opening and closing times.
These findings are relevant to most other counties in Wales.
Many pupils would be disadvantaged by the removal of school transport to their nearest Welsh medium school and be forced to attend a local English medium school against their wishes. It should be remembered that Welsh medium schools have to serve far larger catchment areas than their English counterparts. This trend by councils puts the very future of post-16 Welsh medium education at risk. Equality of opportunity in Welsh medium education depends on the provision of free school transport.
RhAG is involved in emergency discussions with education authorities throughout Wales, drawing their attention to the requirement by the Welsh Assembly Government that they should assess the effect of their transport policy on Welsh medium education in their area: neverthelesss, some authorities appear to be ignoring this requirement and have already implemented discriminatory transport policies.
