THE study of languages is something that is encouraged in many of Jersey schools – but, despite there being a sizeable Romanian population both in the Island and the UK, it is not currently possible to study the language at GCSE and A-Level.
Language options currently available in Jersey’s syllabus include Afrikaans, Arabic, Bengali, Biblical Hebrew, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Italian, Japanese, Modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
However, the absence of Romanian has led to calls that it should be included moving forward. Daisy Morel reports.
A 2022 UK petition attracted more than 10,000 signatures, while a nationwide campaign to expand the language syllabus has been launched by a UK MP.
It is hoped that doing so would allow more Romanian-natives to attend higher education, with qualifications in their home language potentially giving the boost needed to attend sixth-form, college or university.
In Jersey, there are Romanian classes available for multi-lingual young people through the Romanian Classes in Jersey project, which was organised and co-ordinated initially by Deputy Reluca Kovacs. These lessons are supported by the Romanian Government through the Romanian Language Institute and taught by two teachers, Ana and Corina.
According to Jersey’s last Census from 2021, there were 1,338 Romanians living in Jersey – a figure which had risen almost 900 in ten years.
There are currently around 100 children registered for these lessons – aged between 3 and 15, according to Deputy Kovacs, who is the first Romanian national to sit in the States.
She said: “The strong and consistent interest in learning Romanian shows the community’s commitment to preserving its language and heritage, but we don’t have only Romanian children interested.
“While not all of these children will necessarily choose Romanian at GCSE level in the future, having that option available when they reach that stage would be both meaningful and fair.”
In the UK, Gareth Thomas, Labour MP for Harrow West and President of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Romania, has been campaigning for a Romanian GCSE to be offered by UK exam boards, to be more inclusive to the large number of Romanian students and speakers across the UK.
Alongside his petition, he commended the positive impact the “hard-working” Romanian community have on the UK.
Mr Thomas spoke in Westminster urging exam boards to consider allowing the Romanian language to be studied as a GCSE or A-Level option.
Deputy Kovacs said: “This shows that the matter is now being recognised and discussed more at the parliamentary level too.
“At the same time, while the GCSE pathway is being pursued, there has been encouraging progress on accreditation options.
“This provides internationally recognised accreditation at different levels, and we are currently exploring how these modules might best be introduced in the future within the RCJ [Romanian Classes in Jersey] courses for students in Jersey who wish to gain formal certification.”
She summarised that to her, the introduction of a Romanian GCSE is the fair thing to do, as it is one of the most spoken languages across the UK, and there is a “well-established Romanian community” across Jersey and the UK.
“Offering Romanian as a GCSE would not only support academic progression but would also recognise the contribution of this community to the UK and to island life,” she said.
“Ultimately, the existence of around 100 children studying Romanian in Jersey does not automatically translate into 100 GCSE candidates when time comes — but it does clearly evidence demand, commitment, and long-term relevance. Providing the option would ensure that those who wish to formalise their language skills are not disadvantaged compared to students of other nationalities.
“My personal experience also shown me first-hand the benefits of speaking more than one language. All this work complements well my related voluntary work in the community and the collective effort on achieving the introduction of a Romanian GCSE.”
Studying a home language is not only pushed for the sake of an extra exam grade – but for boosting general proficiency in the language. The Jersey Eisteddfod offers sections in multiple languages, including Romanian, with Deputy Kovacs acting as the chair of the Romanian poetry section.
The Reform Jersey politician said that schools in Jersey would be happy to offer other language options but only if they are ratified by an accredited exam board. She has also been instrumental in a partnership between Hautlieu School and a high school in Romania.
“I have voluntarily worked to strengthen bilateral links between Jersey and Romania, including establishing a partnership between Hautlieu School and a high school in Romania, with pupil exchange visits already taking place and more planned”, she said.
She added that there has been “clear interest from the Romanian diaspora in the UK” and that the prevalence of Romanian culture and heritage was growing.
Deputy Kovacs added: “I am grateful to [broadcaster and historian] Tessa Dunlop for raising the profile of this issue again and, importantly, for launching a more detailed survey that gathers concrete information from families with children who may realistically sit the exam.
“This kind of data is essential if exam boards and authorities are to take the proposal seriously.”
