Suggested response to the School Transport Consultation (2015)

Bilingual Letter ...

Annwyl gyfaill

Cludo Disgyblion o’r Cartref i’r Ysgol

Rydw i'n poeni'n fawr am beth fydd yn digwydd i addysg Gymraeg yn Rhondda Cynon Taf yn sgil cyhoeddi'r ymgynghoriad 'Cludo Disgyblion o'r Cartref i'r Ysgol'.  Fel y dengys ffigurau'r Cyngor, mae 1,582 o blant yn teithio ar fws i ysgolion cynradd cyfrwng Cymraeg, o gymharu â 282 o blant sy'n teithio ar fws i ysgolion cynradd cyfrwng Saesneg. Mae 93% o’r plant cynradd yr effeithir arnynt os gweithredir yr argymhellion yn derbyn addysg gyfrwng Cymraeg. Dim ond 20% o blant sydd mewn addysg gyfrwng Cymraeg, felly byddai’r newid yn effeithio ar addysg Gymraeg mewn ffordd gwbl anghymesur. Byddai’n gosb ariannol i rieni sy'n dewis addysg Gymraeg i'w plant.  Mae pob plentyn mewn ysgol gynradd am wyth mlynedd ac felly mae'r ymrwymiad ariannol yn sylweddol. 

Byddai canran uwch o blant yn gorfod talu i gael eu cludo i ysgolion uwchradd cyfrwng Cymraeg nac i ysgolion cyfrwng Saesneg. Mae hyn oherwydd y canrannau uwch o blant sy’n teithio ar fysiau i ysgolion cyfrwng Cymraeg (oddeutu 60% o gymharu â 30% i ysgolion cyfrwng Saesneg).  Mae hyn eto yn anghyfartal. O fewn yr hinsawdd ariannol presennol y mae'n gwneud dewis addysg Gymraeg yn opsiwn anodd, os nad amhosib. Byddai’n cosbi teuluoedd llai cefnog yn fwy na neb.

Mae'n ddyletswydd erbyn hyn ar bob awdurdod addysg i hyrwyddo mynediad i addysg Gymraeg.  Dyna bolisi llywodraeth Lafur Cymru.  Dywed Mesur Teithio gan Ddysgwyr (Cymru) 2008 bod yn rhaid..."hyrwyddo mynediad at addysg a hyfforddiant trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg". Mae'r cyngor felly'n argymell mynd yn gwbl groes i'r gyfraith trwy lesteirio mynediad at addysg Gymraeg. Byddai hefyd yn tanseilio Cynllun Strategol y Gymraeg mewn Addysg RhCT sy’n gosod cyfrifoldeb statudol ar yr awdurdod i gynyddu’r niferoedd sy’n derbyn eu haddysg trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.

 

Fel rhiant i blentyn yn Ysgol XXXX, gofynnaf yn daer i chi beidio â bwrw ymlaen â'r cynlluniau hyn.  

Yn gywir

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Dear Sir/Madam

Home to School Transport

I am very concerned about the future of Welsh Education in Rhondda Cynon Taf.  My concern stems from the current consultation, 'Home to School Transport'.  As Council figures show, 1,582 children travel to a Welsh medium primary school, compared with the 282 children who travel to English medium primary schools.   93% of the children affected by the new proposals receive Welsh medium education.  As only 20% of the county’s children are in Welsh medium schools, the facts speak for themselves that this policy is completely unjust. The proposals would place a financial burden on those parents choosing Welsh medium education. Each child is in primary school for eight years and therefore this is a substantial financial commitment. 

A higher percentage of children attending Welsh medium secondary schools will also have to pay to travel, compared with those attending English medium schools. This is due to the fact that a higher percentage of pupils travel to Welsh schools (about 60% compared with 30% in English medium schools). This is totally unacceptable at any time but during this period of austerity it makes choosing Welsh education a difficult, if not impossible, option. This would penalise the less well off more than anyone.

Every local authority in Wales has the duty to promote Welsh education.  This is the policy of the Welsh Labour government.  The Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 states that each local authority “must promote access to education and training through the medium of the Welsh language.” The council therefore is recommending taking action which contradicts this law entirely by making it more difficult to opt for Welsh medium education. It would also undermine RCT’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan which imposes a statutory responsibility on the authority to increase the number of pupils being educated through the medium of Welsh.

As a parent of a child in Ysgol XXX, I am asking you to withdraw these unjust proposals.

Yours sincerely