Frisian Language Instruction Mandated in Friesland

- West Frisian holds the status of the second official language in the Netherlands, recognized under the "Use of Frisian Language Act" which passed unanimously in 2013 to regulate its use in the legal system and public administration. - This education mandate is part of a broader provincial strategy called "Taalplan Frysk 2030" (Frisian Language Plan 2030), which aims to phase out exemptions and ensure all schools meet government-set Frisian attainment targets by 2030. - While Frisian has been a compulsory subject in primary schools since 1980 and in the lower years of secondary school, implementation has been inconsistent; previously, less than a third of primary schools and under half of secondary schools met all the required government targets for teaching the language. - Despite revitalization efforts, UNESCO has classified West Frisian as a language in danger of becoming extinct. A 2016 report highlighted this risk, finding that only 30% of children spoke Frisian at home, with usage dropping to 22% outside the home. - The province of Friesland, which officially changed its name to the Frisian "Fryslân" in 1997, has a unique exemption allowing it to set its own educational standards for the language, unlike the other 11 Dutch provinces where standards are set by the national government in The Hague. - According to a provincial survey, while 94% of Friesland's inhabitants can understand Frisian and 74% can speak it, literacy is much lower, with only 26% able to write in the language. - The new guidelines, which passed the provincial council unanimously, will be phased in, with schools able to adopt the new objectives starting in the 2026-2027 school year and a final implementation deadline of the 2030-2031 school year.