Parents claim Gaelic passes the test for schooling costs

THE parents of Gaelic- speaking pupils in the Capital claim that it costs the council less to educate their children than those who attend mainstream schools, following the publication of a new study.

Members of Gaelic parents group Comann nam Parant asked chartered accountants Campbell Stewart MacLennan & Co to carry out the research into the financial implications of developing Gaelic medium education (GME) in Edinburgh.

The group wanted to prove that the council's own figures were "misleading", with the survey subsequently finding that the cost to the authority for educating Gaelic-speaking pupils is actually hundreds of pounds less per head.

The parents have always argued that their children would have to be educated at a cost to the council regardless of whether they were GME pupils or not.

They say that because of the Scottish Government's specific grant to the council for Gaelic education provision, that cost is actually reduced - an argument backed up by the new research.

According to the report, the cost of educating each primary pupil in the Capital was 4789 in 2008-9.

The comparable cost for GME pupils was 5272, but this was reduced to 4196 after the Gaelic grant was applied.

Education bosses, however, dispute the claim being made by Comann nam Parant.

They argue that the specialist unit at Tollcross Primary, where GME pupils study, would not otherwise be necessary and they would simply be absorbed into their normal catchment schools. The independent study has been released by Comann nam Parant to coincide with the start of a public consultation into the future of GME provision in the Capital.

With numbers of pupils wishing to study the language on the rise, the council has been forced to consider expansion options.

It has narrowed it down to two choices, which are going out to consultation today.

One option is to extend the unit at Tollcross Primary by creating four extra classrooms.

A second option, which is favoured by Comann nam Parant, is to create a new dedicated Gaelic school in the former Bonnington Primary in Leith.

Alasdair Cameron, convener of Comann nam Parant, said: "Gaelic medium parents welcome this consultation and the opportunity it presents to debate the future of Gaelic medium education in Edinburgh.

"It is crucial that the public have access to all the facts.

"Many Edinburgh residents may not be aware that Gaelic medium children cost less to the city on a per pupil basis than their mainstream peers.

"The independent research we commissioned proves that Gaelic medium education provides great value for the city."

City education leader Councillor Marilyne MacLaren disagrees with the figures.

She said: "Gaelic does come at a significant extra cost because a specialist unit has teachers and facilities that wouldn't otherwise be needed as pupils would go to schools across the city.

"We can't ignore the costs these difficult financial times and that's why we're consulting on a range of options on the future development of Gaelic medium education."