This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Entitlement to Gaelic medium education established
17/09/2004
Parents' entitlement to have their children educated in
Gaelic Medium Education is to be established under new
measures contained in the Standards in Schools Act
2000.
Education Minister Peter Peacock, who has responsibility
for Gaelic, has issued new guidance and told councils they
must:
- Establish the minimum level of
parental demand required to give an entitlement to
Gaelic medium education
- Inform parents of their
children's entitlement to Gaelic
- Streamline the process for
reporting improvements in Gaelic education.
The measures will ensure Gaelic classes do not close
without full consultation.
The Minister also revealed
Bòrd na
Gàidhlig will take ownership of the guidance in the
future.
Mr Peacock said:
"I take the advancement of Gaelic very seriously -
education is the key to ensuring the language not only
survives but thrives. At present pupil numbers are up and
we have more Gaelic medium classes than ever before - a
real success story.
"Councils should take pride in this but I want to see
more progress yet and ensure they meet growing demand.
"By using my powers in the Standards in Schools Act we
will ensure parents and pupils have their entitlement to
Gaelic medium education clearly established.
"I want councils that receive Executive funding for
Gaelic to reassure parents that wherever there is
reasonable demand, Gaelic medium education will be provided
and they must define what constitutes reasonable demand in
their areas.
"I expect Councils to work with the agency responsible
for Gaelic development,
Bòrd na
Gàidhlig, to deliver their individual policies and
improve services.
"Ownership of these new measures will pass to the Bòrd
when the Gaelic Language Bill, due to be introduced to
Parliament shortly, becomes law and puts it on a statutory
footing.
"Today's announcement together with the Bill will help
secure Gaelic as a living part of Scottish life, promote
the language's everyday use and increase the appreciation
of its place and value in Scottish culture."
Bòrd na
Gàidhlig chairman Duncan Ferguson said:
"Bòrd na Gàidhlig welcomes the step taken by the
Minister today in Gaelic medium education.
"We recognise that this is an important step forward and
we expect this will bring greater consistency to Gaelic
medium education and reassurance to parents.
"This is a detailed and wide-ranging paper and we look
to education authorities to strengthen and extend GME in
line with the guidance set out in this paper."
Guidance flowing from the Standards in Schools Act 2000
will apply to all councils that receive a Gaelic Specific
Grant in the first instance (ie where the Executive funds
75 per cent of the total cost of developing Gaelic
education).
The Executive is making £14.4 million available in
2004/05 for Gaelic education, broadcasting and funding for
Gaelic organisations.
Councils also fund Gaelic education through their
general education budgets.
Gaelic education also benefits from Executive funding
programmes such as teacher training, classroom assistants
and FE/HE funding.
Twenty one education authorities currently provide
Gaelic medium education and the number of pupils (nursery,
primary and secondary) in Gaelic medium education has risen
from 2,661 in 2002-03 to 2,879 in 2003-04.
The councils are:
- Aberdeen City
- Angus
- Argyll & Bute
- Clackmannanshire
- Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
- East Ayrshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- East Lothian
- East Renfrewshire
- Edinburgh City
- Falkirk
- Glasgow City
- Highland
- Inverclyde
- North Ayrshire
- North Lanarkshire
- Perth & Kinross
- Renfrewshire
- Scottish Borders
- South Lanarkshire
- Stirling
The guidance is due to take effect from next year.