Gaelic heritage

A review of Gaelic education by HMIE has found that Scotland has the potential to be an international model of best practice in the promotion of a minority language education.

Gaelic Education: Building on the Successes, Addressing the Barriers also states that Curriculum for Excellence presents new and exciting opportunities for Gaelic education, as well as highlighting some areas for improvement.

Minister for Gaelic Alasdair Allan said:

“This report is welcome news and confirms a growing sense that Gaelic education is of a high quality and has a key role to play both in Scottish education and for the future well-being of Gaelic as a whole.

“However, there are still barriers to further progress with Gaelic education in Scotland and this report clearly identifies these. A number of recommendations covering the use of technology, transition between primary and secondary schools and ensuring Gaelic learning continues beyond primary schools seek to address these constraints.

“I hope all those working in or close to Gaelic education will give serious thought to these issues and work towards overcoming them.

“But one thing is clear. There is demand for Gaelic Medium Education and the opportunities for children and young people to undertake it are increasing.

“We can now expect young people to leave school with an excellent grounding in Gaelic and find opportunities to use these skills in further and higher education and in employment.

“Coupled with recent developments like the availability of BBC Alba on Freeview and the increasing visibility of Gaelic across the country, our aim is to create a secure and sustainable future for the language.

“I want to work with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure this aim becomes a reality.”

Hebrides Today brings you the latest news from the Western Isles