Council to mark 25 years of Gaelic Medium Education

Members of The Highland Council's Gaelic Committee have welcomed plans to celebrate twenty five years of Gaelic Medium Education provision in the Highlands.

Funding to support the Council's plans has also been warmly welcomed from Bòrd na Gàidhlig's Gaelic Language Act Implementation Fund.

Councillor Hamish Fraser Chairman of The Highland Council's Gaelic Committee said: "I am very proud of The Highland Council's record of Gaelic Medium Education over the past 25 years. I am particularly proud of our staff and teachers who have achieved so much over this time.

"These celebrations will also focus, however, on the future, and the next 25 years of Gaelic Medium Education. We have achieved a lot and need to continue to strengthen the future of Gaelic Medium Education by working together with our partners. Bòrd na Gàidhlig's support of £25,000 for the anniversary is greatly welcomed and we will work with them to put that funding towards plans for the next 25 years."

Members of the Gaelic Committee agreed that:

• A working group will be set up to organise the delivery of a suite of commemorative events and projects.
• The Council will be represented at a national conference "Gaelic Medium Education - Striving for Sustainability" on 17 November in Edinburgh.

Some of the projects looking to the future of Gaelic Medium Education might include:

• Consideration of pilot partnership projects in the 0 to 3 nursery area and in Primary 1 to 3 immersion; and research and pilot programmes into areas such as teacher recruitment, Gaelic Medium careers promotion and teacher incentivisation.
• Developing a long term multi media research study: to capture the experiences of children as they progress through Gaelic Medium Education.
• Developing Gaelic Medium Education leaders of the future through nurturing, encouraging and inspiring future leaders, and
• Marking the new extension at Bun Sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis and the opening of the new Gaelic Department at Glenurquhart Primary School.