Britain far behind Europe in learning foreign languages with fewer than one in three under 30s able to read and write in anything other than English

  • The poor figure, 32 per cent, is half that of second-worst EU country Hungary 
  • Experts blame the Labour government for making GCSE languages optional
  • Fewer than half of pupils now taking one, compared to three in four in 2002 

By Josh White For The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Britain lags far behind Europe in learning foreign languages with fewer than one in three under-30s able to read and write in anything other than English.

The figure, 32 per cent, is half that of second-worst EU country Hungary, where seven in ten are proficient.

Most other countries put the UK to shame with more than eight in ten 15 to 30-year-olds capable in two or more languages, a report found.

Experts point the finger of blame at the 2004 Labour government decision to make languages optional at GCSE.

Britain lags far behind Europe in learning foreign languages with fewer than one in three under-30s able to read and write in anything other than English, because languages are shunned at GCSE (file photo)

Britain lags far behind Europe in learning foreign languages with fewer than one in three under-30s able to read and write in anything other than English, because languages are shunned at GCSE (file photo)

It has left fewer than half of pupils now taking one, compared to three in four in 2002. 

Report author Megan Bowler, a classics student at Oxford, said: 'It was a big mistake to scrap compulsory foreign languages at GCSE.

'Rather than continuing to present languages as not suitable for everyone, we need to include a broader range of pupils learning through a variety of qualifications geared to different needs.'

'At GCSE, French and German entries have dropped significantly: French by 63 per cent and German by 67 per cent since 2002.' 

Higher Education Policy Institute director Nick Hillman went one step further – calling it 'probably the single most damaging education policy in England so far this century'.

Experts point the finger of blame at the 2004 Labour government decision to make languages optional at GCSE (PM Tony Blair giving a press conference that year)

Experts point the finger of blame at the 2004 Labour government decision to make languages optional at GCSE (PM Tony Blair giving a press conference that year)

The institute has called for language study to be made compulsory at GCSE.

Miss Bowler found 99 per cent of under-30s in Denmark read and write in two or more languages including their own. 

In France it is 79 per cent, in Italy 90 per cent and Germany 91 per cent.

The Department for Education said: 'We are committed to ensuring more pupils are studying languages.'

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