£2.9M grant for Welsh language education boost in county

Welsh language education could get a £2.9 million boost to strengthen provision in Gwynedd if a funding request goes ahead.
Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet is set to consider a recommendation to submit a final application to the Welsh Government when it meets  on July 19.
The cash would see  £1.1 million investment in Gwynedd language centres.
An investment of £1.5million of capital and £300,000 of revenue, will  increase the capacity of primary schools Ysgol Llanllechid, Ysgol Bro Lleu and Ysgol Chwilog, in response to the growth in population due to housing developments in their areas.
The council says it is supporting the three communities of “linguistic significance,” with 70 per cent Welsh speakers, to help them “flourish.”
Work to establish two completely new Welsh language immersion education sites in Tywyn and Bangor has already begun, and the Porthmadog immersion education site resources are set for improvements.
Gwynedd Council’s Education Cabinet Member, Councillor Beca Brown, said:
“Over the decades Gwynedd has led the way nationally in terms of supporting and promoting Welsh language education.
“We have a firm vision to give every pupil educated in the county – from Aberdaron to Abergwyngregyn to Aberdyfi – the opportunity to leave school as fluent and confident Welsh-speaking citizens.
“According to 2011 census data, 92.3% of Gwynedd pupils between the ages of 5-15 in our schools were Welsh speakers – the highest percentage in Wales by a stretch – a matter of pride for us.
“But, there is room to improve, to innovate more and to be even more ambitious for our young people and our language.”
The sites provide immersion education for learners in years 5-9 in a first-class learning environment.
The investment also enables development for three sites that provide immersion education for years 2-4.
Other objectives include investing and extending the current provision of the Maesincla Language Center in Caernarfon, improving resources and capacity in Meirionnydd by moving the Dolgellau Language Centre to Ysgol Bro Idris, and  to better the provision and resources in the Dwyfor area by moving the Llangybi Language Centre to Ysgol Cymerau, Pwllheli.
The councillor added: “I will therefore strongly recommend that the Cabinet supports the recommendation to proceed with these proposals and that a request for £2.9million of financial support is submitted to the Welsh Government.”

By Dale Spridgeon – Local Democracy Reporter