School places for Gaelic speakers given cash boost

Published on Friday 4 September 2009 19:45

MORE school places will be made available for pupils studying in Gaelic-medium education, the Scottish Government has announced.

Michael Russell, the Gaelic minister, said 500,000 would be allocated to Glasgow City Council to renovate classrooms and increase provision in its Gaelic school to meet increasing demand.

Another 150,000 is going to Argyll and Bute Council towards a new building at Bowmore Primary on Islay for growing numbers of Gaelic speakers there.

The money is being released from the Gaelic Schools Capital Fund set up last year. Last week Mr Russell announced Highland Council would get 1.5 million towards new full-Gaelic schools in Portree and Fort William.

The Glasgow Gaelic School opened in 2006 and now has 307 primary pupils, 145 secondary and 50 in the nursery.

The minister said: "This increased investment will contribute towards our efforts to build a strong and sustainable future for Gaelic."

There are 60 schools with units providing Gaelic-medium education and full-Gaelic schools in Glasgow, Skye and Inverness. A total of 2,206 primary pupils are now taught in Gaelic in Scotland – up from 2,164 last year.