Protecting Frisian: trainee teacher numbers more than double

The number of students electing to train as Frisian language teachers has doubled this year, amid a historic drive to strengthen and revive the Netherlands’ only officially recognised second language.

More than 34 students signed up to take a Frisian teacher training course at Leeuwarden’s hbo college NHL Stenden, either as a minor or part-time element of their studies, according to Omroep Fryslân.

The change signals a growing revival trend as Friesland, often ranked the Netherlands’ culturally proudest province, fights to protect its linguistic identity. Only 10 years ago, experts warned the language was on the verge of extinction.

Geert Driessen, of Radboud University in Nijmegen, said in a 2016 study that it was the “eleventh hour” for the province’s mother tongue – especially in urban areas, where Dutch speaking newcomers increasingly mix with locals.

Between 1994 and 2014, he found, Frisian spoken outside family homes had halved. This led to the founding of Taalplan Frysk 2030, a government-backed scheme to protect the language through education and social initiatives.

The plan has received millions of euros in funding, much of which has gone to NHL Stenden. Recent studies show Frisian comprehension is rising, and since this school year all primary and secondary school pupils in Friesland are actively taught the language.

In September, the University of Groningen also launched the first standalone Frisian language degree in 15 years.