Comataidh Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd a’ cur Cathraiche ùr an dreuchd

Aig a’ chiad choinneamh dhen Chomataidh Ghàidhlig ùr aig Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd a chumadh gu bhiortail, chaidh an Comhairliche Calum Rothach airson Uàrd 10 Eilean a’ Cheò a chur an dreuchd mar Chathraiche agus chaidh an Comhairliche Alasdair MacFhionghuin airson Uàrd 08 Inbhir Pheofharain agus Sìophort a chur an dreuchd mar Iar-Chathraiche.

Thuirt an Comhairliche Rothach: “’S e urram mòr a th’ ann dhomh a bhith nam Chathraiche air Comataidh na Gàidhlig. Tha dreuchd air leth cudromach aig a’ chomataidh seo ann an sgìre na Gàidhealtachd agus tha mi an dùil gum bi i air a comharrachadh le mòr-mhiann, deagh adhbhar agus co-obrachadh. Tha dreuchd aig a h-uile Ball dhen chomataidh seo agus gu dearbh dhen Chomhairle air fad agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gun urrainn dhuinn coimhead air adhart ri àm ri teachd tarbhach mar chomataidh.”

Rinn e fhèin agus buill eile dhen chomataidh luaidh air Manaidsear Cùraim agus Ionnsachaidh na Sgìre, Norma Young, a bha air a dreuchd a leigeil dhith o chionn ghoirid às dèidh iomadh bliadhna de dh’obair dhìcheallach a thaobh Foghlam agus Gàidhlig thar na sgìre.

Bhruidhinn na Buill cuideachd mu dhreuchd agus raon-ùghdarrais Chomataidh na Gàidhlig agus chaidh moladh aontachadh gun deidheadh sreath de bhùithtean-obrach Bhall a chumail sna seachdainean air thoiseach. Dheidheadh bruidhinn mu na dleastanasan a thathar a’ moladh a thaobh na comataidh ùir, nam measg:

• brosnachadh agus taic a thoirt do chànan, dualchas is cultar dùthchasach Gàidhlig na Gàidhealtachd agus sùil a chumail air mar a thathar a’ buileachadh Plana Gàidhlig na Comhairle.
• buileachadh Plana Gàidhlig na Comhairle a sgrùdadh is a bhrosnachadh, a’ gabhail a-steach lìbhrigeadh foghlam Gàidhlig.
• ceangal a chumail le Bòrd na Gàidhlig a thaobh leasachadh ro-innleachdail cànan na Gàidhlig.
• obrachadh le buidhnean-gnìomha Gàidhlig ann a bhith ag àrdachadh, a’ leasachadh agus a’ cumail suas cànan, dualchas is cultar Gàidhlig na Gàidhealtachd.
• obrachadh le Riaghaltas na h-Alba agus Pàrlamaid na h-Alba a thaobh reachdas a’ buntainn ri cànan na Gàidhlig.
• sùil a chumail air seaghan reachdais a thaobh cànan na Gàidhlig agus comhairle a thoirt dhan Chomhairle mun bhuaidh aig a sin air feadh na Gàidhealtachd.
• buidseatan a sgrùdadh a thaobh thabhartasan is caiteachas maoin sònraichte na Gàidhlig.

Thug Oifigear Leasachaidh Gàidhlig na Comhairle agus Nicky Ghrannd, Ceannard an Fhoghlaim, seachad cunntas mu obair Sgioba na Gàidhlig an lùib iomairtean glasadh-sluaigh COVID-19 a chaidh a leasachadh còmhla ri Ceannardan-sgoile agus Sgioba Leasachaidh an Fhoghlaim gus am feum a b’ fheàrr a dhèanamh de ICT. Thug iad fiosrachadh do Bhuill mu na pròiseactan a rinneadh tron ghlasadh-shluaigh, nam measg:

• sreath de bhidiothan iomain a rinneadh le Iomain Cholm Chille, le taic bho Sgioba na Gàidhlig;
• naoi bhidiothan goirid air a bheil ‘Spòrs agus Seinn Còmhla ri Ellen’ gus cuideachadh a thoirt do phàrantan aig nach eil Gàidhlig ach aig a bheil clann òga a’ dol a-steach gu Foghlam tron Ghàidhlig;
• bhidiothan teaghlaich le dùbhlain ball-coise seachdaineach a chruthaich Sgioba na Gàidhlig còmhla ri FC Sonas (seirbheis ball-coise Gàidhlig Albannach); agus
• Pasgain cuideachaidh Curraicealam Gàidhlig ann an Àireamhachd, Litearrachd agus Slàinte is Sunnd.

Tha aithisg iomlan gu bhith an lùib pàipearan Comataidh an Fhoghlaim an t-seachdain seo.

Dh’innis an t-Àrd-Oifigear Donna Manson do Bhuill gun tèid eacarsaich chomharra-measaidh a dhèanamh thar na Comhairle a’ gabhail a-steach gnothaichean Gàidhlig agus sgioba-obrach. Bidh an eacarsaich air a stiùireadh le Àrd-Oifigear Gnìomhach – Coileanadh agus Riaghlachas na Comhairle, Kate Lackie, aig a bheil dleastanas ro-innleachdail airson na Gàidhlig agus bidh seo a’ gabhail a-steach goireasachadh a thaobh Sgioba na Gàidhlig agus goireasan Foghlam Gàidhlig san fharsaingeachd. Thèid aithisg a thoirt air ais gu Comataidh na Gàidhlig le toradh na h-eacarsaich.

Dh’aontaich a’ Chomataidh cuideachd gun sgrìobh an t-Àrd-Oifigear gu foirmeil gu Ministearan na h-Alba a’ cur an cèill gu bheil dragh air a’ Chomhairle nach eil Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd a’ faighinn gu leòr de Thidsearan Pròbhaidh gus leigeil leis a’ Chomhairle na mòr-mhiannan aice a thaobh na Gàidhlig agus Foghlam tron Ghàidhlig a lìbhrigeadh.

Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee appoints new Chair

At the first meeting of the new Gaelic Committee of The Highland Council held virtually, Councillor Calum Munro for Ward: 10 Eilean a' Cheò was appointed as Chair with Councillor Alister Mackinnon for Ward: 08 Dingwall and Seaforth appointed as Vice Chair.

Cllr Munro said: “I am extremely privileged and honoured to be Chair of the Gaelic Committee. This committee has a very important role in the Highland area and I like to think that it will be defined by its ambition, sense of purpose and co-working. Every Member of this committee and indeed of the whole Highland Council has a role to play and I think we can look forward to a very constructive future as a committee.”

He also paid tribute along with committee members to the former Area Care and Learning Manager, Norma Young who recently retired for her work and dedication over the years to Education and Gaelic across the region.

The role and remit of the Gaelic Committee was also discussed by Members with a proposal to have a series of Member workshops over the coming weeks agreed – at which proposed responsibilities of the new committee will be discussed including:

• to promote and support the indigenous Gaelic language, heritage and culture of the Highlands and to oversee the implementation of the Council’s Gaelic Language Plan.
• to monitor, scrutinise and promote the implementation of the Council’s Gaelic Language Plan, including the delivery of Gaelic education.
• to liaise with Bòrd na Gàidhlig on the strategic development of Gaelic language.
• to work with Gaelic development agencies in promoting, developing and sustaining the Gaelic language, heritage and culture in the Highlands.
• to work with the Scottish Government and Parliament in relation to legislation relating to Gaelic language.
• to monitor the implications of legislation in respect of Gaelic language and advise the Council of its impact across the Highlands.
• Budget monitoring and scrutiny of Gaelic specific funding grants and expenditure.

The Council’s Gaelic Development Officer and Nicky Grant, Head of Education both gave an update on the work of the Gaelic Team during COVID-19 lockdown initiatives which were developed with Head Teachers and the Education Improvement Team maximising the use of ICT. They informed Members on the lockdown projects including:

• a series of shinty videos produced by Iomain Cholmchille, with support from the Gaelic Team;
• 9 short videos to assist non-Gaelic speaking parents who have young children entering Gaelic medium education called ‘Spòrs agus Seinn Còmhla ri Ellen - Fun and Sing along with Ellen’;
• videos setting weekly family football challenges which the Gaelic Team liaised with FC Sonas (the Scottish Gaelic Football service) to create; and
• Gaelic Curriculum recovery packs in Numeracy, Literacy and Health and Wellbeing.

A full report is included in the Education Committee papers for later this week.

Chief Executive, Donna Manson informed Members that a benchmarking exercise will be carried out across the Council encompassing Gaelic matters and staffing. The exercise will be led by the Council’s Executive Chief Officer - Performance and Governance, Kate Lackie who has the strategic responsibility for Gaelic and will include resourcing of the Council’s Gaelic Team and Gaelic Education resources more widely. A report will be brought back to the Gaelic Committee on the results of the exercise.

Committee also agreed that the Chief Executive will write formally to Scottish Ministers expressing the Council’s concerns that The Highland Council is not receiving sufficient level of Probationer Teacher allocations to enable to Council to deliver its Gaelic and Gaelic Medium Education ambitions.