Worries over Powys schools shake-up
Controversial changes to education in North Powys could divide communities, reduce the use of the Welsh language and create an exodus of people leaving the area, worried councillors have said.
Powys County Council is looking to restructure education in the region as part of wider cost-cutting measures.
It has suggested changes to two bilingual schools – Llanfyllin, which takes children from the Oswestry area but risks losing its Welsh education stream, and Llanfair Caereinion, which could become all Welsh. But councillors raised concerns over the plans, contained in a report by outside consultants Sbectrwm, at a council cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Councillor Peter Lewis, who represents Llanfyllin, said the Sbectrwm report was "artificial social engineering" and that any changes would see children having to choose whether or not to commute up to an hour each way to school.
He said: "The report says 605 pupils are being educated in Welsh medium at secondary school. How many of them will continue in Welsh medium if their journey time is more than an hour? Therefore most Welsh communities in Powys will see their children switching to English education.
"North east Powys is unique with Welsh communities on the English border. It's well known that Oswestry has more Welsh speakers than there are in Welshpool due to the success of dual stream education in the area. More people are speaking Welsh and this should be celebrated.
"Dual stream education is a success in north Powys. Take it out and you ruin what you've achieved at primary level. The idea of making young people choose between their community or their culture is fundamentally wrong. The price is too high."
Banwy Councillor Myfanwy Alexander said: "It is completely unrealistic that a community that has been bilingual since the late Middle Ages should become all Welsh.
"If there is a community in North Powys with 80 per cent Welsh speakers then that is the appropriate place for a Welsh medium school, but our areas are still mixed.
"The future of the Welsh language in north Wales depends on retaining it in the community.
"If it becomes an elite language where only the people who are bussed away will receive Welsh language education then it will die out."
Cabinet members unanimously agreed to note the report, agreed that it is desirable to establish a Welsh medium school in North Powys and ordered a business case to be produced.
The public will be asked for its views, once the business plan is in place and if the cabinet agrees to move forward towards a Welsh medium school.
