Establish a Welsh medium secondary school for Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil and Monmouthshire
Rejected
3 signatures
There is currently no Welsh medium high school in the entirety of Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil, with children currently traveling upwards of an hour to Pontypool or other sites or simply ditching Welsh medium education altogether.
With Gwynllyw not expected to accept students from outside their catchment from 2028, time is critical for a site to be built to serve these three counties.
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If Wales is to have any chance of becoming a bilingual nation, it starts at school.
The vast majority of Welsh language teachers get their grounding in Welsh medium schools too.
The children of these three counties are paying the price for political indifference and are already leaving primary school to go King Henry and Crickhowell etc.
This is a national disgrace, and needs urgent attention. Families of children in Welsh medium primaries need assurance that there will be provision for them soon. Those considering a Welsh primary are no doubt thinking it's a pointless endeavour.
Wales is losing entire generations of Welsh speakers from these areas who then go on to English medium schools - whether because of distance, reputation or uncertainty.
Language loss can be almost immediate for many of these children who then become immersed in English medium schools and social groups.
The dithering and delay must end now. These counties need a Welsh medium high school now.