Conference marks two decades of Gaelic Medium learning in the Highlands

Twenty years ago the first Gaelic medium class opened in the Central School, Inverness, with ten pupils. Now there are twenty schools in the Highlands with Gaelic medium classes, with over a thousand pupils, giving fresh hope for the revival of the language.

The conference will be formally opened by Minister for Education and Young People, Peter Peacock. Highland Council Education Chairman Andrew Anderson, accompanied by four Primary 1 pupils from Craighill Primary School, Tain, will mark the occasion by cutting a 20th anniversary cake.

The theme of the conference is how Gaelic can be strengthened in the home and community. Speakers from the Maori community in New Zealand and from Ireland will describe how this is done in their countries, after which representatives of various interested parties will seek to produce a blueprint for similar action in the Highlands.

Also speaking at the conference will be Gaelic Medium Teacher, Kirsteen Keir who has come full circle from being one of the first Gaelic Medium pupils in Central Primary school and now teaches there. Kirsteen will give a personal perspective of 20 years of Gaelic Medium education.

Councillor Andrew Anderson, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee said: "Gaelic Medium Education is the best hope for the survival of Gaelic and remains a priority for Highland Council. While it is important to look back on and celebrate 20 years of Gaelic Medium Education in the Highlands we are already looking forward and securing the future by providing a new Gaelic school at Slackbuie in Inverness through our second phase of public, private partnership school building programme.

Chairman of The Highland Council’s Gaelic Select Committee, Councillor Hamish Fraser said: "We are clearly demonstrating our leadership in partnership with other agencies in the development of Gaelic. Twenty years on after opening our first Gaelic Medium class in Central primary, Highland Council is the first local authority in Scotland to produce a Gaelic Language and Culture Plan that clearly sets out how we intend to increase and support the number of Gaelic Speakers in the Highlands, and to celebrate the richness of the Gaelic language and its contribution to our heritage and culture.

"Support from our partner agencies, the community and the Executive, has played a major part in this tremendous achievement and we look forward to their continued support over the years ahead, to further consolidate the use and spread of our language in the Highlands Council area"

Over 100 delegates will be attending the conference representing 33 organisations including: An Comunn Gàidhlealach, An Lochran, BBC, Blas, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, CLI Gàidhlig, Comann nam Pàrant, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Comhairle nan Sgoiltean-àraich, Comhluadar, Comunn na Gàidhlig, Fèis Rois, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Fosglan, Gaelic Online, Highland Council and Highland Schools, Highland 2007, Highland and Islands Enterprise, Lochaber Gaelic Development Group, Melness Gaelic Centre, Out of Eden, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Scottish Childminding Association, Scottish Executive, Scottish Parliament, SEED, Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig, Sgleog, Sradagan, Taigh Chearsabhagh, and the University of Aberdeen.

For further information please contact: Donald John MacLeod, Quality Development Officer (Gaelic) The Highland Council tel: (01349) 868214