WIREDGOV

Over £5.3million has been allocated over three years to continue the Welsh Language Sabbatical Scheme, which offers training to practitioners who need the confidence and specialist terminology to teach, lecture or train through the medium of Welsh or bilingually, or teach Welsh second language.

The Minister has also approved £300,000 over three years to provide Welsh-language training for practitioners working in English medium non-maintained early years settings.

The funding will enable the roll-out of a new training programme called ‘Un, Dau, Tri – Hwyl A Sbri’, delivered by the University of South Wales in partnership with the six regional Welsh for Adults centres across Wales. This will help practitioners to develop the basic Welsh language skills needed to ensure children are introduced to the language from a young age.

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Cymru and Wales Pre-school Providers Association (Wales PPA) will also visit early years settings to introduce children to the Welsh language and provide information to staff about the training available.

Minister Huw Lewis said:

"Through the Welsh-Medium Education Strategy we have committed to building a workforce with a sufficient number of high-quality practitioners with Welsh-language skills for all phases of education and training.

"The Welsh-language Sabbatical Scheme and ‘Un, Dau, Tri – Hwyl A Sbri’ fully support this aim and the funding I have announced will enable more practitioners to have the opportunity to develop their Welsh-language skills. In turn, this will ensure that our children and young people are more fluent in the language."

The Welsh Language Sabbatical Scheme was initially launched as a pilot in 2005, and the latest round of funding for 2014-17 will enable over 700 practitioners to participate in the Scheme.

Courses are free of charge and the Welsh Government will reimburse schools and colleges’ supply costs and participants’ travel costs.