Language Revitalisation in Schools — 2026-09-08
New experimental data from Peru demonstrates that bilingual education significantly improves learning outcomes and language use in Quechua-speaking communities. Meanwhile, Welsh-language education faces a critical shortage of qualified teachers, with a drop of 205 educators in a single year, threatening the government's "million speakers" target.
Language Revitalisation in Schools — 2026-09-08
Top developments
Peru’s Bilingual Education Evidence Boosts Quechua Revitalisation
A new report published on September 5, 2026, by Educacción, highlights evidence from two experimental evaluations in Peruvian schools showing that teaching in Quechua improves student learning outcomes. The study suggests that schools can effectively revitalize indigenous languages even in communities where usage has declined, offering a model for Latin America and the Caribbean. This finding reinforces the viability of intercultural bilingual education policies, which currently serve over 1.2 million students across 26,422 schools in Peru.
Welsh Teacher Shortage Deepens Amidst Policy Goals
Welsh-medium education is facing a severe staffing crisis, with the number of primary and secondary teachers capable of teaching through the medium of Welsh falling by 205 in just one year. This decline comes as the newly appointed Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language prepares to outline priorities, raising concerns about the feasibility of reaching one million Welsh speakers by 2050. The shortage exacerbates existing issues, including slow progress in establishing new Welsh-medium schools and failures by several local authorities to meet strategic plan targets.
Māori Immersion Schools Prepare for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori
As Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) approaches, local initiatives in New Zealand are ramping up efforts to support immersion schooling. In Kaitaia, the "Reo Towns" initiative is launching on September 14, aiming to increase the visibility and use of Te Reo Māori in the town centre, directly supporting the community-based learning models used by Kura Kaupapa Māori. These grassroots movements complement the structured curriculum of schools like Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae, which continues to expand its Māori-medium offerings from Year 0 to Year 13.
Local view
In Wales, Golwg 360 reports growing anxiety among stakeholders that the government’s ambitious targets are outpacing its capacity to deliver trained staff. The outlet notes that while there has been an 11% increase in people learning Welsh, the systemic bottlenecks in school provision and teacher recruitment remain unresolved. In New Zealand, Te Rangaihi Reo Māori is actively promoting local events to sustain momentum for immersion education ahead of Language Week, emphasizing community participation as a key pillar of revitalisation.
Context & numbers
- Peru: Intercultural Bilingual Education (EIB) covers 26,422 schools serving 1,203,697 children, with 48 indigenous languages recognized for instruction.
- Wales: The number of teachers able to teach through Welsh dropped by 205 in the last year.
- Global Trends: Dual-language immersion programs in the US have grown by 300% since 2010, now serving 10% of English Language Learners, indicating a broader global shift toward immersion models.
On the radar
- Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Sept 14–20): Major immersion schools and community groups in Aotearoa New Zealand will host intensive language activities, including the launch of "Reo Towns" in Kaitaia.
- Welsh Government Statement: The new Cabinet Minister for Education is expected to make their first statement on priorities soon, which will likely address the teacher recruitment crisis.
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