Gaelic in secondaries giving “serious concern”
A major piece of research commissioned by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has failed to identify a consensus around whether there should be a Gaelic-medium secondary school in the islands.
However it has confirmed “serious concerns” about how Gaelic is provided for in the four secondary schools, leading to very small numbers of pupils gaining any qualification either in or through the language.
The research was carried out by a team from Edinburgh University who are now being asked to undertake a second phase to “explore options for a way ahead in more specific detail” and propose a “delivery plan to address this need”.
Tuesday’s meeting of the education committee was told by director Donald Macleod: “The analysis within the report identifies serious concerns about the current provision for Gaelic in our four secondary schools.”
Mr Macleod continued: “Although there is strong recognition that current structures and methodology of delivery of secondary Gaelic education is of concern, the analysis of consultation views from the survey recognises that there is no clear consensus from stakeholders about preferred options for change.
“There is strong recognition, however, that new approaches must serve all the communities of the Western Isles and not be solely focused in one area”.
The researchers found that throughout Scotland, “many pupils leave with no qualification to recognise their fluency and achievements in Gaelic. This issue is also present in the Western Isles secondaries.
“The number of pupils sitting National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams in Gàidhlig have not increased in line with the overall growth of pupil numbers. Entries for the Gaelic Learners Higher exams are decreasing. In the Western Isles, the number of exam entries is relatively low given the number of pupils entering secondary GME”.
While the 2022 census found an increase in 3–15 year olds speaking Gaelic, “concerns persist about declining fluency levels, language attrition among native speakers and variation in competence”.
"Survey evidence indicates that relatively few secondary pupils consider themselves fully fluent or equally confident in Gaelic and English,” it added.
The report states: “Gaelic-medium pupils report diminishing opportunities as they progress through secondary school, with pupils reporting drops in GME provision between primary and secondary school, at the Secondary 3 stage and again at Secondary 5.
“Pupils express a strong desire for more subjects in Gaelic, particularly in Secondary 3 and into the Senior Phase (S4-S6, when pupils sit national qualifications), with Senior Phase pupils noting that such increased provision would support the ongoing development of their Gaelic competence and confidence in middle and upper secondary school, which many felt was negatively impacted by reduced GME provision from S3”.
However, throughout the islands, the desire of pupils and parents for more Gaelic-medium in secondary school, “does not align with a wish for a separate GM school. In Uist, pupils expressed a strong belief that GM and EM pupils should be educated on the same campus.”