Teacher recruitment is the “biggest obstacle” to Gaelic-medium education (GME) and it is about to get “significantly worse”, a new report is warning.
The report - which has been submitted to the Scottish government as part of its consultation on the forthcoming Scottish Languages Bill - says there are “numerous” unfilled GME posts across Scotland and, as demand grows, the situation is “likely to get significantly worse”, with schools in remote and rural areas forced to close, or revert to English-medium instruction, because they are unable to recruit.
Pressures likely to exacerbate the current situation include the government’s plans to cut class contact time by 90 minutes a week, which the report says “will require at least a 7 per cent increase in GME teacher numbers”. More teachers will also be required because of the increasing popularity of GME in Edinburgh and Glasgow and west-central Scotland, and because of changes in policy such as the decision in the Western Isles to make Gaelic the default language of instruction in primary.
The report says a survey of 19 councils currently delivering GME - or with plans to get delivery up and running - suggests that a minimum of 420 primary teachers and 228 secondary teachers will be needed nationally over the next five years. That will mean recruiting a minimum of 135 new primary entrants and 90 new secondary entrants to the profession, it says.
The report adds: “Yet, despite this, the numbers graduating from universities this year amounted to only four secondary and 21 primary, with no guarantees they’ll even become teachers.”
The report is written by Bruce Robertson, a former Highland and Aberdeenshire education director and visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde, and Dr Michael Foxley, a former leader of Highland Council and a court member of the University of the Highlands and Islands.
It calls for the Scottish government to set up a “powerful new task force” to “arrest this crisis”, describing teacher recruitment as “without a doubt the biggest obstacle for the continued expansion of Gaelic education”.
Among their recommendations are salary incentives for Gaelic teachers to encourage recruitment; more flexible and localised initial teacher education opportunities; and a review of the process for allocating probationer teachers “to ensure that local authorities obtain proportionate allocations”.
The report also questions “the role and added value of [national Gaelic body] Bòrd na Gàidhlig” in teacher education and teacher recruitment, saying the situation is so serious it requires “the authority and leadership of government”.
The report concludes: “If this discussion paper may appear stark at times, that is quite deliberate. Ironically, many of the difficulties facing Gaelic-medium education are the consequence of its success but also have been around for four decades. Change, however, at a significant pace and structure is required.”
The ongoing consultation on Gaelic and Scots and a Scottish Languages Bill says the Scottish government is committed “to make further progress with GME by means of a new strategic approach”.
Responding to the report, a Scottish government spokesperson said it was “committed to supporting access to Gaelic-medium education for those that wish to have it”.
The spokesperson added: “Gaelic teachers are vital to this success and that is why we are continuing to work with a range of partners, including [the General Teaching Council for Scotland], initial teacher training Institutions and Bòrd na Gàidhlig, to create pathways, such as the new Gaelic Additional Teaching Qualification (ATQ) at [University of] Strathclyde, for those who wish to enter the sector.
“We will consider the findings of this paper carefully and welcome all contributions to the current consultation on the Scottish government’s commitment to Gaelic and Scots. Ministers will set out any action in response to the consultation after it closes on November 17 and due consideration has been given to all feedback.”
A Bòrd na Gàidhlig spokesperson acknowledged that teacher recruitment was a challenge but also pointed out it “comes within a context where Gaelic-medium education is growing across the country, which is great news for Gaelic”.
The spokesperson also said there was much good work to build on - Bòrd na Gàidhlig has a teacher recruitment officer, she said, and an initiative promoting Gaelic education careers. It also provides professional development for new teachers, and has produced resources in partnership with the General Teaching Council for Scotland aimed at encouraging current teachers and students to considered teaching in Gaelic.
The consultation on Gaelic and Scots and a Scottish Languages Bill can be found here.
