Save Community Languages Campaign
Given the need to turbocharge trade with India to create jobs and opportunities for British businesses, losing language skills in India’s key languages is a serious concern. - Gareth Thomas MP
Petition: Save declining Community languages
Qualifications in Community languages are falling sharply. Minister’s failure to invest in these languages is leading to a marked decline in the number of students taking exams. The Government needs to provide proper financial support to help local communities and schools.
Between 2015 and 2021 the number of students entering GCSEs in Bengali, Gujarati, Persian (Farsi), Punjabi, and Urdu drastically reduced.
Whilst Covid hasn’t helped a downward trend has been obvious for a while.
- Gujarati has seen a 77% decline in entries at G.C.S.E. level
- Bengali has seen a 66% decline in entries at G.C.S.E. level
- Persian (Farsi) has seen a 65% decline in entries at G.C.S.E. level
- Punjabi has seen a 45% decline in entries at G.C.S.E. level
- Urdu has seen a 37% decline in entries at G.C.S.E. level
These five languages combined are spoken by approximately 550 million people worldwide.
Please join this campaign to ensure the Government put vital investment in Community languages: