Surging Demand for Scots Gaelic Medium Education Causes Teacher Shortage

Dr. Alasdair Allan (Scotland's Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages) has opened a dedicated Gaelic school in the Scottish Highlands. In his remarks Allan pointed to the students who graduate from Gaelic schools as a future reservoir to meet the Gaelic Medium teacher shortage. The shortage of teachers qualified to serve in Gaelic Medium schools now plaguing Scotland is a sure sign of the revitalization of the Celtic tongue. The newly opened school where the Minister addressed his remarks is located near Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe. The opening of the Lochabar Gaelic Primary School (Bun-Sgoil Ghaidhlig Loch Abar) gives further evidence of the comeback of Scots Gaelic.

As reported in the Highlands Press and Journal, Minister Allan in his remarks pointed to the problems that success can bring: "Clearly there is a demand in Lochabar for Gaelic Medium education and the government has been  happy to work with the Highland Council to make sure that happened. We have just opened a Gaelic school in Portree and there is a Gaelic primary school in Inverness.  With clear demand throughout Scotland for Gaelic Medium education, the challenge for the government has been keeping up with that demand in terms of provision of teachers.  But I have no doubt that helping to create fluency among the next generation is one of the biggest contributions we can make to ensure the language flourishes in future."

Isla O'Reilly writing in a March 2 article on the website Bella Caledonia, offers up an analysis of the impact the comeback of Scots Gaelic is having in Scotland's two largest cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Local authorities are having to scramble to meet demand for education delivered in the Celtic tongue. This demand has resulted in a Teacher shortage but a more pressing problem is finding students seats in Gaelic Medium classrooms. There is a looming crisis in the number of places available for students wishing a Gaelic Medium education. "Such is the rising popularity of a Gaelic  language school environment, that in Glasgow, even children brought up with Gaelic as a first language are unable to secure a place at a school a mile and a half away."

pressandjournal.co.uk

belladonia.org.uk