Students in Jersey will not have to learn a language until the age of 16. The deputy proposing it has dropped the idea when it failed to get emphatic support.

Schools and their pupils will choose whether they want to teach and study languages at GCSE level.

Deputy Montfort Tadier dropped his proposal after the Education Minister changed it to a request that Jersey Curriculum Council reviews the suggestion and look into costings.

That was supported by 24 votes to 20.

However, Deputy Tadier opted to withdraw it before a final vote, telling the Assembly that there was clearly no appetite for introducing a GCSE requirement for children aged 14-16.

"There's been an element of political naivety in the way that some people voted on the amendment.

"Effectively, we're not going to have a debate on whether or not we think that languages should be extended to 16 - we're deprived of that vote."

"Don't waste the time of the Curriculum Council, because they have other important work to do, asking them to do something that they don't want to do and that we don't even know if we want to do."

It left politicians voting to encourage schools to support children in speaking and developing their home languages and for schools to offer at least two modern language options, one being French.

Deputy Montfort Tadier

The original proposition wanted to see extra support for children until the age of 16 to make it compulsory to study a language to broaden Jersey's linguistic prospects.

However, Deputy Rob Ward's amendment garnered the approval of 24 States Members, meaning he narrowly won the debate.

Deputy Sir Philip Bailhache said the Education Minister's amendments were 'clearly' a 'blatant attempt' to kick Deputy Tadier's proposition 'into the long grass'.

"To suggest that these important issues around languages should be referred to a council is a polite way of telling Deputy Tadier 'to get lost'."

Deputy Sir Philip Bailhache

Another Minister suggested the focus should perhaps be on teaching children how to use AI tools to develop communication skills.

Constable Andy Jehan reflected on the technology that gives people the ability for people to speak their own language and to have that translated.

"A conversation [can be facilitated] between two or more people who have no understanding of other languages.

"[Embracing] AI and other technologies will open up new exciting horizons."