ACTION PLAN ON GAELIC TEACHER
SUPPLY: PROGRESS REPORT
There was circulated Report No
GSC10/04 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport giving details of
the issues relating to the Action Plan on Gaelic Teacher Supply.
The report explained that a
number of the issues relating to the supply of Gaelic teachers had to be
resolved at national level but it was expected that the Council and Bord
na Gaidhlig would continue to play a central role in this.
However, issues more specific to
the Council included that the Highland area had, until recently, been
producing fewer locally-domiciled new teachers mainly due to the low
numbers of fluent Gaelic Speakers in the key 15-25 age group but also
because graduates could not readily access teacher education in their
locality. However, this situation was beginning to change as pupils from
Gaelic medium education began to enter Higher education and as more
teacher education was provided through distance learning and/or on a
part-time basis. It was also difficult to attract young newly qualified
teachers from larger cities to relocate to the Highlands, particularly in
the more rural areas.
The report proposed that an
Action Plan be developed to focus on:-
(i) persuading
more locally based students including both fluent speakers and learners to
choose teaching as a career;
(ii) ensuring
that locally based students continued to be able to access teacher
training in their own area and in a way that their personal circumstances
would remain a priority;
(iii) encouraging
young teachers to relocate to rural areas within the Highlands. The Action
Plan would investigate ways in which to attract teachers such as offering
accommodation and pay incentives; and
(iv) the
feasibility of providing an immersion course to bring teachers living in
the Highlands to the high level of fluency required for Gaelic medium
education.
During discussion, it was
highlighted that the shortage of Council housing was a further problem as
Gaelic medium education teachers were not regarded as key workers and this
issue should be addressed by the Council.
The Committee also felt that
statistics collected had to be accurate in order to ensure that the
Scottish Executive were fully aware of the Council’s Gaelic requirements.
It was also suggested that Scottish Ministers be made aware of the
difficulties in attracting Gaelic medium education teachers to the
Highlands and the feasibility of providing incentives schemes to assist
recruitment.
Concern was further expressed at
the lack of careers advice specific to Gaelic and it was suggested that
the Head of Careers be invited to a future meeting of the Education,
Culture and Sport Committee to give a presentation on promoting and
raising awareness of the many Gaelic career opportunities available,
particularly, within the Highland area.
The Committee
NOTED the report and AGREED:-
(i) that
the Action Plan be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee;
(ii) that
the Action Plan take account of the wide range of issues and disincentives
including remoteness and housing to taking up new posts or returning to
teaching posts;
(iii) the
Head of Careers Scotland be invited to make a presentation on career
opportunities available in the Highlands but with particular reference to
Gaelic at a future meeting of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee;
(iv) to
raise with Scottish Ministers the issues regarding attracting candidates
into Gaelic medium teaching courses and, those qualified to the Highlands
including the provision of recruitment incentives in order to address the
shortage of Gaelic Medium Education teachers; and
(v) to
make representation for the collection of accurate statistics by the
Scottish Executive representing anticipated requirements and unsatisfied
demand for Gaelic medium teachers.
