Welsh language campaigners thank Cabinet for their decision

WELSH language campaigners have thanked Carmarthenshire Council’s Cabinet for their decision to save Ysgol Blaenau and Ysgol Mynydd-ygarreg, and called on the Education Minister to now give clear and practical support to maintain the long-term sustainability of the schools.

Speaking on behalf of the Carmarthen Region of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, Ffred Ffransis said: “We appreciate the council’s willingness to listen and to accept the impassioned and reasoned pleas made by governors and the communities of Mynyddygarreg and Blaenau, and we would publicly like to thank these communities for their brave stand, and for giving new hope to many other communities in Wales.

“The future of these two schools is now as secure as that of any other school in Carmarthenshire. We support also a review of the euphemistically-named Modernising Education Programme in Carmarthenshire as this has cast a shadow over the future of dozens of rural schools for the past 16 years. All must be invited to participate in the drawing up of a new constructive plan based on co-operation.

“We now expect clear guidance from the Education Minister that small schools also will, where appropriate, be granted funds for capital improvements to buildings.

“Carmarthenshire County Council must also play its part in securing a sustainable future for these two schools by allowing them to accept pupils at three years of age.

“The decision means that a majority of school places in the Kidwelly area will now be in Welshmedium education, and that pupils from Mynyddygarreg will not now be lost to English-medium education at the new-build in Kidwelly.”