Dublin and Stormont United in Short Changing Gaelic Medium Secondary Education - Surge in Irish Language Schooling

In July 2016 we reported on the then latest salvo in the battle between language activists and Dublin’s malevolent attitude towards Gaelic. Ireland’s President Michael Higgins had condemned the failure of the government to honor its responsibility to the Irish language.  In an address to a group of language activists in Dublin, Higgins questioned the goodwill of the Irish Government and lashed out at its failure to meet the increased demand for for Gaelic Medium Secondary education. Higgins said: “It is clear that the demand exists for more Irish language secondary schools to give these children the opportunity to continue their education through the medium of Irish, and it is only right that they should be able to do so.” 

Similar charges are now being hurled against the Northern Irish government. Apparently, indifference to the Gaelic tongue does not respect borders, hard or soft.

The BBC reports “The development of Irish-medium secondary education is being hampered by a lack of suitably qualified teachers…. Representatives of the sector have called on the Department of Education (DE) to develop post-primary qualifications to address the shortage. One head-teacher has described the failure to develop such qualifications to date as a "disgrace".

The BBC goes on: “There are two post-primary schools (in Northern Ireland) which teach through Irish. A further three post-primary schools in Northern Ireland have Irish-medium streams. . According to the most recent DE figures, 6,200 pupils of all ages were being educated through Irish in 2017/18, a rise of 1,500 since 2012/13. Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (CnaG), the representative body for the sector in Northern Ireland, said the number of pupils in Irish-medium post primary education has been increasing at a rate of 8% per year. "With the overall growth in demand, there is pressure for more IM post primary teachers at all levels going into the future with an immediate need for post primary teachers particularly with STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and other specialist subjects," said its chief executive, Liam Ó Flannagáin. “

See the original Article here: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-47902370

https://www.transceltic.com/blog/irish-president-charges-dublin-obstructing-increase-gaelic-medium-schools-irish-rarely-heard