Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol’s role should expand says review

Last year the Education Secretary ordered a review into the body that supports the development of Welsh-medium provision within higher education, enabling more students to study a variety of subjects through the medium of Welsh.

The task and finish group, chaired by Delyth Evans, has made a number of recommendations, including:

• The role of the Coleg should be extended to be a recognised national strategic body for developing the Welsh language across the higher education, further education and work-based learning sectors.
• The Coleg should focus its marketing messages on promoting the Welsh language as a skill in the workplace, rather than marketing the Coleg as a separate body.
• It should focus on supporting schools by developing marketing materials for use by teachers, pupils and parents.
• Support Welsh-medium, bilingual and English medium schools.
• Redirect its promotional work to reach younger pupils in year 9 and 10, before they begin to make decisions about their post-16 education.
• Coordinate its marketing work closely with the marketing departments of individual further and higher education institutions to ensure clear and consistent messages to school pupils regarding the value of the Welsh language.
• The Coleg should continue to be funded directly by the Welsh Government.

Chair of the group Delyth Evans said:

“It was a pleasure for me to be the chair of this review and I am very grateful to the members of the group and to the organisations and individuals who contributed to the work. 

“I hope the report and recommendations will assist to strengthen Welsh language provision across the higher education, further education and work-based learning sectors in the years to come.”

Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said:

“I would like to thank Delyth and the entire group for their thoughtful and constructive report.  I will now study the findings closely and provide a full response in due course.

“The recommendations cover a range of new proposals to further develop Welsh-medium study post-16 for everyone and they offer a number of exciting opportunities.”