Welsh-Medium Education

Abstract

In the latter half of the twentieth century education, notably at the primary and secondary school levels, has taken over from nonconformist religion the major role in the maintenance of the Welsh language. Indeed, our present education system and the radio and television services, with recent developments, are the only agencies powerful enough to halt the dramatic decline in the number of Welsh speakers from a little under one million in 1911 to half a million seventy years later in 1981. And no one who is any way aware of the efforts being made in certain areas of education and the media, as well as in publishing and some other cultural activities, can deny that central government aid for these agencies, through the Welsh Office channels, has been crucial in slowing down the decline in the number of Welsh speakers and will be even more crucial in future if the recent more promising trends are to be maintained.