LANGUAGE FAILURE
November 9, 2006 12:00 AM
'A' level figures for Kent show that we have a crisis on our hands
Only 4% of all Kent students taking 'A' levels had got a good grade in modern foreign languages and this percentage is falling year on year.
This was the reply at the County Council meeting on 2 November when Martin Vye, Liberal Democrat Canterbury Councillor, and Spokesman on Education, asked the Conservative Cabinet Member for Education and School Improvement about the state of teaching modern languages in Kent schools.
Martin said: "This is disastrous. We know that because of the government's inaction the number of our young people learning a foreign language is going down, but here in Kent, very close to Europe, we should be doing a lot better. We are very much part of the global economy, and we are trying to develop trade with other countries. How can you sell to them if you don't know their language? It's not good enough to say: 'Everyone understands English', I'm sure many deals have not been clinched because our business people have not been able to put their case across in detail."
Martin spoke about "good practice in some of his local schools including Barton Court, with its language specialism, and Kingsmead Primary School, where he is a governor, where the children are taking to French with great enthusiasm. "But the 'A' level figures for Kent show that we have a crisis on our hands and I urge the County Council to recognise that and do something about it."
The question and answer are posted in full on the 'County Council Questions' webpage of this website.