Cunntas às ùr mu Fhoghlam Gàidhlig sa Ghàidhealtachd

English translation below

Chaidh cunntas às ùr mu fhoghlam Gàidhlig a thoirt fa chomhair Comataidh Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd Dihaoine (12 Dùbhlachd 2025).

Thug a’ chomataidh fa-near do dh’adhartas ann a bhith a’ lìbhrigeadh Plana Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, do dh’obair gus coinneachadh ri stiùireadh reachdail air foghlam Gàidhlig, agus do dh’iomairt ùr gus teicneòlas a chleachdadh airson taic a chur ri ionnsachadh san àm ri teachd.

• Foghlam tron Ghàidhlig ann an Loch Àlainn

Às dèidh iarrtas bho phàrantan, tha a’ chomhairle air ceumannan a ghabhail gus solar Foghlam tron Ghàidhlig (FtG) a ghleidheadh ann am Bun-Sgoil Loch Àlainn.

Tha ceumannan eadar-amail air dòigh an-ceartuair fhad ’s a thathar a’ sireadh tidsear FtG air stèidh mhaireannach.

Tha àrd-stiùirichean bho Bhun-Sgoil Àth Tharracail a’ toirt seachad taic, fhad ’s a tha tidsearan solair a’ lìbhrigeadh solar pàirt-ùine, aghaidh ri aghaidh fhad ’s a tha am pròiseas fastaidh a’ leantainn air adhart.

Tha na h-oidhirpean air an leasachadh barrachd le cuideachadh bho cheannard cluiche Gàidhlig 0–3 Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, le taic phàrantach agus le eòlasan ionnsachaidh air-loidhne is aghaidh ri aghaidh.

Tha na h-oidhirpean measgaichte seo a’ sealltainn dealas na Comhairle do bhith a’ cur solar seasmhach FtG air dòigh.

Thuirt Cathraiche Comataidh Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, an Comhairliche Drew Mac a’ Mhuilleir: “Tha mi a’ moladh na sàr-obrach a thathar a’ dèanamh gus taic a chur ri foghlam Gàidhlig agus gus a leudachadh air feadh na Gàidhealtachd.

“A thaobh Loch Àlainn, tha sinn a’ faicinn gu bheil dùbhlain ann a thaobh fastadh agus tha sinn an dòchas gun tèid tidsear a chur an dreuchd a dh’aithghearr. San eadar-àm, tha e na adhbhar misneachd a bhith a’ faicinn luchd-obrach agus a’ choimhearsnachd ag obair còmhla gu cruthachail gus an t-iarrtas a choinneachadh.

“’S e ceann-bliadhna cudromach a th’ ann dhan Chomhairle, agus 40 bliadhna às dèidh dhan chiad aonad FtG fosgladh san sgìre, tha sinn fhathast a cheart cho dealasach a thaobh a bhith a’ lìbhrigeadh solar de chàileachd àrd agus do bhith a’ toirt taic dhan ath ghinealach de luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig air feadh na Gàidhealtachd.”

• Prògram Ionnsachadh Proifeiseanta

Chuala a’ chomataidh cuideachd mun cho-obrachadh a tha a’ Chomhairle a’ gabhail os làimh le Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann gus obair thùsail a dhèanamh air siostam aithneachadh cainnte fèin-obrachail a dh’fhaodas a bhith air a chleachdadh mar inneal cuideachail gus taic a thoirt do sgoilearan FtG len cuid ionnsachaidh.

Airson cuideachadh leis a’ phròiseact, thèid guthan mu 100 sgoilear bho sgoiltean air feadh na Gàidhealtachd a chlàradh gus cothrom a thoirt dhan sgioba farsaingeachd de luchd-labhairt fhaighinn, le aoisean, dual-chainntean is fileantachd eadar-dhealaichte.

• A’ Comharrachadh 40 Bliadhna de FtG

Chaidh prògram in-sheirbheis a leasachadh mar fhreagairt do na dùilean a tha air am mìneachadh ann an Stiùireadh Reachdail Riaghaltas na h-Alba air Foghlam Gàidhlig, a tha ga chur mar dhleastanas air ùghdarrasan foghlaim agus air buidhnean buntainneach taic a thoirt do leasachadh is lìbhrigeadh foghlam Gàidhlig de chàileachd àrd.

Bidh an tachartas a’ toirt prìomh chom-pàirtichean còmhla, a’ gabhail a-steach Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (SMO), Foghlam Alba, agus Luchd-sgrùdaidh an Rìgh airson Foghlaim.

Bidh e mar phrìomh amas aig an in-sheirbheis sgrùdadh a dhèanamh air mar a dh’fhaodas foghlam cur ri seasmhachd eaconamach na Gàidhlig.  

Tha a’ bhùth-obrach a’ cuideachadh gus clach-mhìle chudromach a chomharrachadh – 40 bliadhna bhon a chaidh FtG a stèidheachadh sa Ghàidhealtachd, a’ tabhann cothrom do thidsearan meòrachadh air adhartas agus prìomhachas a stèidheachadh airson an ama ri teachd.

Air an aon chuspair, tha am pod-chraoladh Gàidhlig Oideas a’ cuideachadh gus fiosrachadh is eòlas a cho-roinn bho dhaoine a tha air buaidh a thoirt air foghlam tron Ghàidhlig thar nam bliadhnaichean.  

Chaidh an t-sreath phod-chraolaidh a leasachadh le Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, le taic bho Sgioba Gàidhlig na Comhairle agus le Gwen NicGuaire, Ceannard Foghlam Thidsearan aig SMO, mar aoigh.

Tha an t-sreath làithreach a’ gabhail a-steach agallamhan le tidsearan aig a bheil beairteas eòlais, às dèidh dhaibh foghlam Gàidhlig fhaicinn a’ leasachadh thar nan deicheadan.

Gheibhear aithisgean iomlan na comataidh an seo: https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/5258/gaelic_committee_comataidh_na_gaidhlig

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Update on Gaelic Education in Highland

An update on Gaelic education came before Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee on Friday (12 December 2025).

The committee noted the progress in delivering the Council’s Gaelic Language Plan, work to meet statutory guidance on Gaelic education and a new initiative to harness technology to help future learning.

• Gaelic Medium Education in Lochaline

Following a request from parents, the council has taken steps to secure GME provision at Lochaline Primary School.

Interim measures are currently in place with recruitment for a permanent Gaelic Medium Education teacher ongoing.

Support is being provided by Acharacle Primary School’s senior management, while supply teachers are delivering part-time, in-person provision while recruitment continues.

The efforts are further enhanced by input from the Highland Council’s 0–3 Gaelic play leader, parental support and hybrid online teaching experiences.

These combined efforts reflect the Council’s commitment to securing sustainable GME provision.

The chair of Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee, Cllr Drew Millar, said: "I commend all the excellent work that is going on to support and extend Gaelic education across Highland.

“In the case of Lochaline, we can see there are challenges around recruitment and hope that a teacher can be appointed very soon. In the meantime, it is encouraging to see staff and the community working together creatively to meet the demand.

“It’s a milestone year for the council, and 40 years after the first Gaelic medium unit was opened in the region, we remain committed to delivering high-quality provision and supporting the next generation of Gaelic speakers across Highland."

• Professional Learning Programme

The committee also heard details of the council’s collaboration with the University of Edinburgh to pioneer an automatic speech recognition system that can be used as an assistive tool to support Gaelic medium pupils in their learning.

To assist with the project the voices of around 100 pupils from across Highland schools will be recorded to allow the team to obtain a variety of speakers of different ages, dialects and fluency.

• Celebrating 40 Years of GME

An in-service programme has been developed in response to the expectations set out in the Scottish Government’s Statutory Guidance on Gaelic Education, which places a duty on education authorities and relevant bodies to support the development and delivery of high-quality Gaelic education.

The event will bring together key partners, including Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (SMO), Education Scotland, and HM Inspectors of Education (HMIe).

A key focus of the in-service will explore how education can contribute to the economic sustainability of Gaelic.

The workshop also helps mark a significant milestone - 40 years since the establishment of GME in Highland, offering an opportunity for teachers to reflect on progress and set future priorities.

On the same theme the Oideas Gaelic podcast series is helping to share experiences of some of those who have influenced Gaelic medium education over the years.

The podcast series has been developed by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, supported by the  council’s Gaelic team and hosted by Gwen MacQuarrie, Head of Teacher Education at SMO.

The current series includes interviews with teachers who bring a wealth of experience, having witnessed the evolution of Gaelic education over the decades.

The full reports for the committee can be found here: https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/5258/gaelic_committee_comataidh_na_gaidhlig