Furthermore….
Diolch yn fawr, Dave. Anghofiais i’r cyswllt.
I guess what really toasts my cookie about this can be found in remarks made by Mr. Collins who, according to the South Wales Echo reporter David James (quoting James here) “Mr Collins argued that teaching Welsh in under-privileged areas only distracted from subjects that might help pupils improve their prospects.”
He (Collins) wrote: “Moreover it isn’t an issue simply in terms of all the time that is wasted on it.”
I don’t live in Wales yet. Soon, but not yet. However, prior to my decision to attend school there, I did a lot of research into the job market and potential employment in Wales. What I found in the course of my research is there are jobs all over Wales, in all walks of life if you are bilingual Welsh/English. Whilst I think I see what Collins is saying here, I cannot agree because from what I see, far from ‘wasting’ time that could be better spent on other subjects, the ability to use Welsh in the workplace broadens the scope of employment possibilities in Wales and opens door that would otherwise be sealed.
Add to that the confidence building and self-esteem that comes with the ability to speak more than one language and to my mind you are increasing their options and qualifications rather than the other way round.
And, as if that is not sufficient reason to teach Welsh to children, think about the future of the nation. One complaint that is seen not just in Wales, but the world round is the departure of the younger generation from the areas where they are raised. Communities everywhere are losing their youth to big cities and other areas because there is simply no employment or future for them in their home communities.
So if, in the case of Wales, a child is able to speak Welsh as well as English, that child is more likely to find work in Wales. That, in turn, builds the need/desire for Welsh speakers in a Welsh community and it becomes an upward spiral.
Perhaps I’ll be proven wrong, but I simply do not see a downside to the teaching of Welsh to children.