by Julian Ruck
Those of a more zealous inclination in Welsh language quarters, have questioned the veracity of my statements here on Uncut, in respect of the Welsh Labour government’s funding of Welsh mediums schools in the principality.
Indeed, I am frequently called a liar.
The Welsh Language Society and indeed the intentions of Plaid Cymru to create a Welsh speaking bucolic Taffy Caliphate are well known, but I draw readers of Uncut to data collated under a FoI request in June last year (see below).
It seems the Welsh Labour government is also in the pot (although no surprises here, it is a consummate expert when it comes to nationalist social engineering at taxpayers’ expense!).
Spending per pupil in Welsh and English medium schools
The differences in funding per pupil in Welsh medium schools (for those outside of the principality, these are schools where Welsh is the language used in school) and English medium schools demands scrutiny to put it mildly, particularly when one considers that only 15% of Welsh speakers in Wales can read and write the language, and its hugely expensive promotion (billions) has failed miserably (note Census data).
Minority views should always be respected and where possible accommodated. However, they should not be allowed to dictate to and rule the democratically elected majority. In Wales, the vociferous Welsh speaking nationalist minority is given far too much sway. Their sordid and often vicious attempts to silence and threaten anyone who exercises the temerity to challenge them should no longer be tolerated.
The data shows how Welsh Labour displays nothing but contempt for the English speaking majority in Wales, a calculated agenda of discrimination and a sly Crachach conspiracy to annihilate any kind of equal opportunity. It is nothing less than an absolute disgrace and a bitter taste of what will happen to Welsh education if Welsh Labour are given any more powers or worse, hop into bed with Potty Plaid – again.
The Estyn schools report published this week, slated Welsh education and this is on top of the PISA conclusions at the end of last year ranking Wales 46th in the EU for literacy and numeracy. Could this have something to do with Carwyn’s undemocratic Welsh speaking agenda I wonder, he is a Welsh speaker after all, just like the rest of the Crachach?
For years now, the Welsh language diehards have been crowing about how superior and better performing (???) Welsh medium schools are when compared to their English medium counterparts. Well, one doesn’t need to be an astro-physicist to understand why?
Take Bridgend: Nearly £3000, I repeat £3000, more per pupil is spent in the Welsh medium than the English medium – this no doubt has everything to do with the fact that Bridgend is largely English speaking, and what about Anglesey (a hotbed of Potty Plaid nationalist intent), Gwynedd and Conway?
Equal opportunity? Please. It’s no wonder there is a mass exodus of Welsh students are taking off to English universities (and taking the taxpayers’ £5000 with them), that’s if they can obtain the grades to get there in the first place.
Preserving the Welsh language is an admirable objective in itself, but exercising such blatant and prejudicial ways of doing it would force even Machiavelli to think again.
But worse even than this, the education policies of Carwyn and his Team Druid are destroying the futures of Welsh youth and reducing Wales to an irrelevance that would shame a disillusioned pretender to the House of Windsor.
Finally, and with the greatest of respect Ed, Welsh Labour is bringing the party into disrepute on an industrial scale.
It is everything a modern and vote winning Labour party should eschew.
Julian Ruck is an author, journalist and columnist. He also makes contributions to both Welsh and national broadcasting and media
Tags: English medium schools, Estyn Report, Julian Ruck, Letter from Wales, Welsh medium schools
‘the english language’ really should get out more often.