Bòrd na Gàidhlig welcomes announcement of more support for gaelic education

Bòrd na Gàidhlig has welcomed the commitment by the Scottish Government of more than £1million of additional support to developments in Gaelic education throughout Scotland.

Fiona Hyslop MSP, the Minister with responsibility for Gaelic, has confirmed that £976,000 has been committed to development from the Gaelic Schools Capital Fund.

The financial support will be used to improve facilities at four Gaelic schools, and to create a new Gaelic centre for learners in Oban, in line with Curriculum for Excellence development and the Scottish Government’s priorities for Gaelic.

The Bòrd’s Cathraiche (Chair) Arthur Cormack said: “Bòrd na Gàidhlig believes that there is a clear demand for more Gaelic education through Gaelic schools, and given the proven success of establishments such as Inverness and Glasgow, there is no doubt that we need to increase the number of schools if we are going to achieve our overall aim of growing the number of learners and speakers. Gaelic schools offer so much more by way of opportunities to learn and use the language and they are the best way to enable children to learn the language. Bòrd na Gàidhlig would like more local authorities to recognise the demand for an increase in Gaelic provision and that they should engage with parents to help meet their aspirations.

“The Bòrd currently distributes its own financial support in line with the aims and objectives of the operating plan Ginealach Ùr na Gàidhlig (A new generation of Gaelic speakers), targeting areas where growth is possible and where we can increase the number of people learning and using the language. This extra assistance from the Government is extremely helpful and will help build confidence amongst everyone working in Gaelic development in the areas which have been chosen. The numbers of children going through the Gaelic medium education system has grown steadily especially in Argyll, Edinburgh, Glasgow, in the Highland Council area, and in Perth and Kinross. It is vitally important that we make Gaelic education as attractive as possible for parents and children in the Gaelic school communities and this assistance will help promote our interests as we develop the facilities in line where demand is creating great expectations.”