PLANS have been announced for 23 new Welsh-language primary schools across Wales.

Fifteen existing Welsh-medium primary schools will also be enlarged as part of the plans announced by the Welsh Government.

Local authorities across Wales are finalising their Welsh Education Strategic Plans, setting out how they plan to grow Welsh-medium education in their areas over the next 10 years. 

The Welsh Government has set targets for 26 per cent of Year 1 learners to receive education in Welsh by 2026, rising to 30 per cent by 2031.

Jeremy Miles, minister for education and the Welsh language, said: “With these plans in place, I have every confidence in achieving our targets for 2026 and 2031, with the goal of a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

“My message is clear - I want Welsh-medium education to be an option for everyone and I want everyone to have the opportunity to be bilingual citizens of Wales.”

Since 2018, the Welsh Government has invested £76 millions in projects to create 4,000 additional Welsh-medium childcare, school or ‘late mersion’ places.

Each local authority will need to agree and publish its final Welsh Education Strategic Plans by September 1, 2022, in accordance with the 2019 Welsh in Education Strategic Plans Wales Regulations.