Scots Gaelic Continues to Strengthen - Major Breakthrough for Gaelic Medium Education

Dr Alasdair Allan, Scotland’s Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages attended an event in Stornoway Town Hall in Scotland’s Western Isles to inaugurate a program for the granting of Professional Graduate Diploma in Education for teachers at the secondary level.

The Stornoway Gazette, reporting on Dr. Allan’s visit described the launch of a secondary level teaching certificate for Gaelic medium instruction as follows: “The course is transformational as it provides a bridge between Gaelic Medium Primary Education and Gaelic University and College courses.”

In making the announcement, Dr. Allan is quoted: “I am very pleased to be part of this launch. We are all aware of the need to support and strengthen Gaelic medium education in Scottish secondary schools and I would like to commend the Comhairle (Western Isles Council ‘Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’), University of the Hebrides and Isles and the Nicolson Institute for the good example of partnership working that has made this course possible. I would like to wish the partners every success with this course.”

The local authority has been instrumental in recent advances made by the Celtic language of Scotland.  It was just last month that it was reported that Gaelic will become the language of instruction at approximately 25% of Primary schools in the Western Isles.  At that time Catriona Stewart, Chairman of the Education and Children’s Services Committee of the Western Isles Council was quoted: " The Comhairle (Council) remains committed to strengthening Gaelic in the Western Isles and although we realise there is much work to do, there are also some very encouraging signs, not least that 47% of primary pupils are in Gaelic-medium education”

The Scots Gaelic Tongue has persisted in spite of the blow dealt by the vicious Education Act of 1872 that forbade the use of Scots Gaelic in the classroom.  This most recent strengthening of Gaelic secondary education, combined with the recent strides enjoyed by Gaelic medium primary education ensures that the language will continue its recover from the persecution of the British government over the centuries typified by the Education Act of 1872.

http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/news/local-headlines/launch-of-groundb...

http://www.transceltic.com/blog/scots-gaelic-heartland-strengthens-prima...