Under the Frisian Language Plan 2030 and the Administrative Agreement Frisian Language and Culture 2024–2028, the Frisian language and culture subject will play an increasingly important role in education in the coming years. The province aims to have the statutory core objectives* implemented in all schools in Fryslân in primary education and the lower secondary education. Additionally, the province strives to ensure Frisian has a strong position in the surrounding educational sectors, creating a continuous learning pathway. To achieve this, more teachers and lecturers with the qualification to teach Frisian are needed. 

Three Target Groups

The campaign primarily targets the following three groups:

  1. havo and vwo students considering teacher training

  2. pabo students and beginning primary education teachers

  3. secondary education and mbo teachers

The province wants to encourage them to obtain the Frisian teaching qualification. This can be done by following full-time and part-time courses or, as a pabo student, taking a semester of Frisian. The courses are offered at NHL Stenden and the University of Groningen.

More Than Half Choose Frisian Language and Culture as Exam Subject

Interest in Frisian as an exam subject was already evident at Piter Jelles Ynsicht. Teacher Debbie van Elden followed the Frisian teacher training, after which the location became the first school to offer the Frisian final exam for vmbo-basic and vmbo-kader. Of the 105 second-year students, no less than 62 chose Frisian as an exam subject.

Working with the Frisian Language

The client for the campaign is the province. According to deputy Eke Folkerts, the motivation to work with the Frisian language is great: “But people sometimes do not know what opportunities exist. With this campaign, we make the route clearer, more accessible, and more attractive.”

The campaign message is clear: Give Frisian, because you care about Frisian. Combine what you know with what you can do. Because the language lives when someone gives it. The language is here, now the teachers still. Will you give the language of the future? Jou Frysk! More info: www.joufrysk.frl.

* For more information about the statutory core objectives: https://kurrikulum.frl/