This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Cash for Gaelic education
12/03/2007
Pupils throughout Scotland will benefit from increased investment in Gaelic education worth nearly £5 million.
Councils who provide Gaelic education have been given a cash boost of £485,000 on top of previous allocations for this year. And in 2007-08 they will share grants totalling £4.466 million - an increase of almost £500,000 on the previous year.
Gaelic medium education is a key priority in the revitalisation and development of Gaelic and Ministers believe this money will further enhance provision across the country.
Speaking on a visit to Laxdale Primary's Gaelic medium unit (Isle of Lewis) Education Minister Hugh Henry said:
"We have a growing generation of young Gaels reaping the benefits of Gaelic medium education. We want to build on this success and ensure that pupils continue to receive the best possible support.
"This extra funding underlines our commitment to the language and is great news for the schools involved.
"Gaelic education is thriving, pupil numbers are up and we have more Gaelic medium classes than ever before. These youngsters will help ensure that Gaelic has a vibrant future."
Gaelic medium education schools within the following council areas will benefit from the additional funding:
Council | 2006-07 additional funding (£) | 2007-08 funding (£) |
Aberdeen City | 15,000 | 130,000 |
Angus | 10,000 | 42,000 |
Argyll & Bute | 45,000 | 345,000 |
Clackmannanshire | 10,000 | 14,000 |
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar | 45,000 | 921,000 |
East Ayrshire | 15,000 | 135,000 |
East Dunbartonshire | 20,000 | 60,000 |
East Renfrewshire | 20,000 | 32,000 |
City of Edinburgh | 30,000 | 180,000 |
Falkirk | 5,000 | 10,000 |
Glasgow | 65,000 | 460,000 |
Highland | 45,000 | 880,000 |
Inverclyde | 20,000 | 95,000 |
North Ayrshire | 30,000 | 80,000 |
North Lanarkshire | 30,000 | 247,000 |
Perth & Kinross | 10,000 | 70,000 |
Renfrewshire | 10,000 | 30,000 |
Scottish Borders | 5,000 | 5,000 |
South Lanarkshire | 15,000 | 144,000 |
Stirling | 30,000 | 125,000 |
West Dunbartonshire | 10,000 | 20,000 |
Stòrlann | | 441,000 |
Total | 485,000 | 4,466,000 |
The additional funding allocation has come from a reallocation of budgets within the Education Minister's portfolio to help councils with the costs of providing Gaelic education in their areas. This amount is in addition to the Gaelic Specific Grants previously allocated to councils in 2006-07, which totalled £3.914 million.
Under the Gaelic Language Education (Scotland) Regulations 1986, Gaelic Specific Grants are available to councils to cover up to 75 per cent of the costs of providing Gaelic education. Awards are made annually. In 2007-08 £4.446 million is available from the Gaelic Specific Grants Scheme, an increase of over £500,000 in the previous year.
Bids for funding are assessed against the following criteria:
- Potential to increase the number and fluency of Gaelic speakers
- Potential to enhance the cultural and/or linguistic experience of pupils
- Contribution to the promotion of positive attitudes to Gaelic
- Contribution to lifelong learning opportunities in Gaelic
Stòrlann is the national resource centre for Gaelic education, located in Lewis. It develops and distributes the majority of Gaelic teaching materials used in Gaelic medium education.