Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Accepted in Part
Paragraph: 47
Publish and implement long-term language strategy for Indo-Pacific languages, including diplomat policy.
Recommendation
We recommend that the FCDO publish and implement a long-term, sustainable language strategy for Indo-Pacific languages, including targets for language learning, encouraging the establishment and/or expansion of language teaching in UK by Tilting horizons: the Integrated Review and the Indo-Pacific 67 developing a plan to expand existing university departments or add new departments, as appropriate, supported with additional Government funding, and adjusting diplomat posting and rotation policy to ensure optimal use of foreign languages learned.
Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, detailing existing FCDO language learning systems and targets, but indicating limitations in adjusting diplomat posting policy. For broader language teaching, it cites existing school programmes and curriculum updates, noting education is a devolved matter, without committing to new university funding.
Paragraph Reference:
47
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
42. The Government partially agrees with the recommendation. The FCDO already operates a flexible language learning system for speaker slots in the Indo-Pacific region which is Directorate- and Post-guided. Our target is for 80% of speaker slots to be filled by a speaker with a valid C1 / C2 language exam pass. Post rotation length is based on a set of criteria reflecting circumstances at post. Focusing only on the language requirement would impact FCDO ability to fill speaker slots. Through operational language teaching for those at posts not in speaker slots and developmental language training in the FCDO’s priority languages, including Mandarin and Japanese, for UK-based staff, the FCDO develops its language capability. 43. Education is a devolved matter and the Devolved Governments are responsible for their own arrangements and funding for language teaching in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 44. In England, the Government took action in 2010 to increase the number of pupils entered for language qualifications by introducing the English Baccalaureate. In 2014, a new Modern Foreign Languages curriculum required all state-funded primary schools to teach a foreign language to pupils at key stage 2. Language study is compulsory at key stage 3 and schools have the freedom to choose which languages they teach to best meet the needs of their pupils. Mandarin can be taught by a school on both accounts. There remain relatively few pupils currently studying Mandarin in state-funded schools compared to other Modern Foreign Languages. The Mandarin Excellence Programme aims to address this issue and uptake is increasing. 45. The Mandarin Excellence Programme commenced in September 2016 with 14 secondary schools. It was re-procured in 2021 for £16.4 million and has grown to over 8,600 pupils in 81 schools across the country in 2023. Pupils on the programme commit to eight hours language study a week over the course of the programme, in order to achieve a high level of fluency. The programme has already achieved its target to have 5,000 pupils on the path to fluency by 2020 and is now on target to reach 9,000 pupils with a high level of fluency this year. 46. In 2023, the Department for Education in England also ran a public consultation seeking to make changes to subject content requirements for Chinese and Japanese AS and A levels. These changes sought to make both qualifications more accessible for pupils, with the view to encourage more young people to study these languages to key stage 5 and beyond. The AS and A level subject content was updated and published in July 2023 to reflect these changes and first teaching of the new subject content will commence from September this year.