Diwan (pronounced [ˈdiwɑ̃n]; "seed" in Breton) is a federation of Breton-medium schools in Brittany.
The Diwan concept, which allows children to learn French and Breton through language immersion, was inspired by the Gaelscoileanna movement in Ireland, the Ikastolak movement in the Basque Country, and the Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin movement in Wales, the Calandreta schools in Occitania and La Bressola schools of Northern Catalonia. However, as Diwan educates up to the age of eighteen its schools are more like Welsh-medium education schools in Wales.
From ages two to six Breton is the sole language of instruction. At the age of seven and a half French is introduced during two out of twenty-six school hours. When the pupils are ten, French (six hours out of twenty-three) is taught at the same level as Breton.[clarification needed] This remains the same when they reach middle school but English and a choice of Spanish or German are taught in addition.[1]
According to Jelle Krol, the strictness with which the Third French Republic imposed its French-only policy throughout the educational system as well as its rejection of all requests for classes in minority languages must be seen in the light of France's humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the resulting Germanophobia and Revanchism over the loss of Alsace and Lorraine. The Government of the Republic was accordingly unwilling to tolerate the German language and other minority languages in French schools or society.[2]
The first Diwan school was created by a few parents in 1977 at Lampaul-Ploudalmézeau (Breton: Lambaol-Gwitalmeze) near Brest, because the centralised French state schools were unwilling to offer the Breton language in the curriculum. The initial nursery school was followed by the first primary school in 1980, the first collège in 1988 and the first lycée in 1994.
In 2008, Diwan schools celebrated their 30th anniversary and organised Ar Redadeg, a non-stop foot race through Brittany in support of Breton-language learning in schools, which has little support from the French central government.
In 2019–2020 4,307 pupils attended Diwan schools throughout Brittany at all levels from preschool to the Baccalauréat. The network included 48 primary-level schools and 8 secondary schools (six collèges and two lycées).