Gaelic Medium Education In Scotland
Gaelic medium education (G.M.E. or GME; Scottish Gaelic: Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig) is a form of education in Scotland that allows pupils to be taught primarily through the medium of Scottish Gaelic, with English being taught as the secondary language. Education projects in other Gaelic countries; Ireland (see Gaelscoil approx. 400 Irish-medium primary & post-primary schools and 221 preschools) and the Isle of Man (see Bunscoill Ghaelgagh).
Gaelic medium education is increasingly popular throughout Scotland, and the number of pupils who are in Gaelic medium education at primary school level has risen from 24 in 2 schools in 1985, to 2312 in 2010.
As there are still relatively few Gaelic schools, Gaelic medium education is mainly provided by Gaelic medium units within English-speaking schools. Bunsgoil Shlèite, on the Isle of Skye, is the exception in that it is a Gaelic school with an English Medium Unit.
The largest Gaelic school is Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu (Glasgow Gaelic School), which caters for pupils aged three to eighteen and has a capacity of 800 pupils though it may increase to 1200 by 2012.
In January 2008, Highland councillors were presented with a report stating that demand for Gaelic medium education was so strong that four new Gaelic schools, in addition to the one in Inverness, were required. Plans were in place by mid 2009 to open two Gaelic medium schools in Fort William and Portree within two years and in August 2009 the Scottish government announced funding of £1.5m to speed up their opening.
Read more about Gaelic Medium Education In Scotland: Current Provision, Gaelic Medium Units, Figures
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