As students return to school, there is a marked increase in the Basque country in the number of students participating in model D programs, featuring exclusively Basque language medium education, and model B programs, involving both Basque and Spanish medium education. This year over 90% of children under age six will study in one of these forms. Model D participation is steadily increasing, reflecting the trend that the younger a child is, the more likely it is that he or she will choose a Basque education. Anjeles Iztueta, the Basque Regional Government Education Minister, said, "Basque should not be exclusively a school language; it has to be a language for all areas of life as well and must therefore be used outside school in everyday life." She aims to link Basque, Spanish and English, so that by the time the children are 16 they will be able to write and speak all three languages, with different subjects taught in different languages. By next year, Iztueta plans for the programs to be available in all regional schools.
