Sleat Primary may be Skye's first all-Gaelic school
From the West Highland Free Press, Isle of Skye.
Sleat Primary School in south Skye could become the first all-Gaelic school on the island, if proposals drawn up by Highland Council are approved.
Members of the council’s education, culture and sport committee will meet today (Thursday) when they are expected to agree to begin a consultation period during which they will seek the views of parents within the school’s catchment area.
A report prepared for the meeting recommended that, in light of a substantial increase in the number of Gaelic-medium pupils and a declining roll in English mainstream classes, the council should move to classify Sleat as all-Gaelic.
The existing Gaelic-medium unit has been highly successful, rising from 30 pupils in
2002-2003 to the current figure of 49. This is in stark contrast to English-medium pupils whose numbers have experienced a downturn — from 38 three years ago to this year’s figure of 33.
In addition, the English pre-school nursery at the school has closed, due to lack of demand, while the Gaelic nursery goes from strength to strength. It currently has a roll of 20 three- and four-year-olds.
Lisa Mehan, who has two children in the Gaelic unit and one in the nursery, said: “In my opinion Sleat should be all-Gaelic because at the moment pupils are not receiving full Gaelic-medium education. Things like PE and assembly and playtime, and any all-school activity, is conducted through English, so the pupils are not as fluent as they could be if all aspects of the school were conducted through Gaelic.”
The proposal was jointly submitted by Comunn na Gaidhlig and the Sleat branch of Comann nam Parant — the Gaelic parents’ organisation — and would see English-speaking pupils transferred to Broadford, which would retain its own Gaelic unit.
Kyle and Sleat councillor Bill Fulton said: “If we are going out to consultation then let’s make it a proper consultation. In one way it makes perfect sense for Sleat to go all-Gaelic — you have the Gaelic college there and you have more pupils being taught through Gaelic.
“But on the other hand what do you say to parents who may have had their kids being taught in English in Sleat for a number of years — are they being disenfranchised? Maybe they aren’t, maybe more than half the parents will agree they aren’t. But let’s have a proper consultation and a proper discussion.”
Re: Sleat Primary may be Skye's first all-Gaelic school
Beachd le Aonghas Pàdraig Caimbeul. West Highland Free Press, Isle of Skye.
Tha seo ann an cunnart fàs fasanta — sgoiltean-Gàidhlig tha mi a’ ciallachadh!
Dìreach mar na busaichean, feithidh tu ùine mhòr airson fear, ’s an uairsin thig grunn aig an aon àm… an Glaschu, ceithir sna h-Eileanan an Iar, ’s a-nis cothrom gur e dìreach Sgoil Ghàidhlig a-mhàin a bhios againn an-seo ann an Slèite, mu dheireadh thall.
Tha an rud nach bu chòir a bhith na naidheachd na naidheachd. Tha an rud a bu chòir a bhith cho nàdarra ri gainmheach na machrach na annas.
Tha fhios gur e an solas beag seo a’ leudachadh a bhios fainear dhuinn a-nis: an dearbh rud fhaotainn ann an iomadach àite eile, a’ tòiseachadh ann an Stafainn. ’S tha fhios, a cheart cho cinnteach, gur e saoghal na Gàidhlig a’ leudachadh gu mòr a-mach anns na h-àrd-sgoiltean an ath rud a dh’ fheumas sinn a dhèanamh.
Tha e nàir gu bheil an sloc mòr dubh sin ris an can sin “Gàidhlig anns na h-Àrd-Sgoiltean” fhathast ro gach sgoilear a dh’ fhàgas na h-ionadan Gàidhlig, fiùs ag aithneachadh gu bheil camhanaich air choireigin air fàire ann an Glaschu agus gu bheil sgoiltean mar Àrd Sgoil Phort Righ a dèanamh an dìcheall diofar chuspairean a thoirt dha na sgoilearan.
Ach anns an fharsaingeachd, ’s e fàsach a thaobh na Gàidhlig anns a bheil sinn a’ stobadh deugairean ar dùthcha aon uair ’s gun ruig iad 12. Agus coltach ri gach nì eile anns an fhàsach chan eil romhpa ach tart is acras. Smaoinich fhèin air pàisde fhàgail ann am meadhan na Kalahari no tè dha na ròsan as a’ ghàrradh fheuchainn a chur ann am meadhan na Sahara: cha bhiodh romhpa ach seargadh is bàs.
Anns an aon dòigh, cha mhath dhuinn ar n-òigridh ìobairt ann am fàsach fòghlam na h-Alba.
’S a-nis on a tha ar Riaghaltas agus ar cuid Comhairlean — gu mionaideach, Comhairle Bhaile Ghlaschu, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar agus Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd — a’ sealltainn, tro ghnìomh, ùidh ann an Gàidhlig tha fhios gur e seo an t-àm oidhirp nach do rinn sinn a-riamh reimhid a dhèanamh airson Àrd-Sgoiltean Gàidhlig a-mhàin a stèidheachadh agus a sgaoileadh air feadh Alba.
Tha Glaschu agus Inbhir Nis air a dhol romhainn, agus chan eil mise faicinn adhbhar air thalamh carson nach b’ e Àrd-Sgoil Ghàidhlig a bhiodh ann am Bàgh a’ Chaisteil ’s ann an Lionacleit ’s anns na Hearadh ’s ann an Sgoil MhicNeacail, mar thoiseach-tòiseachaidh.
Saoilidh mi cuideachd gu bheil cothrom — no taghadh — againn ri dhèanamh an seo anns an Eilean Sgitheanach agus ann an Loch Aillse. Le còmhradh a-nis a’ dol a-rithist mu sgoilearan Shlèite dol dhan Ostail ann am Port Righ, nach eil an t-àm ann coimhead air aon dha na h-àrd-sgoiltean a th’ againn — Port Righ agus am Ploc — a thionndaidh a-steach gu Sgoil Ghàidhlig a-mhàin?
A bheil da-rìreabh feum againn air dà àrd-sgoil a’ teagasg sa mhòr-chuid tro mheadhan na Beurla ann an sgìre mar seo? Ma tha na rathaidean mòra farsaing ùr a th’ againn a dèanamh diofar a thaobh na h-ostailean, nach eil e a dèanamh a’ cheart uimhir diofar anns gach seagh eile? Nach biodh e a’ cheart cho furasda aon dha na sgoiltean sin a-nis a comharrachadh mar Sgoil Gàidhlig a-mhàin, agus an fheadhainn a tha ag iarraidh a dhol taobh na Beurla a chur dhan sgoil eile.
’S ma tha astar ann eadar — canamaid Gleann Eilge agus Port Righ, no eadar Cille Mhoire agus am Ploc — uill, nach eil ostailean fhathast anns an dà bhaile a dh’ fhaodamaid a chleachdadh?
’S air eagal gu bheil coimhearsnachd sam bith gearaineach mun mholadh seo, dh’ fhaodamaid an Treasamh Slighe a mholadh cuideachd: ’s e sin gun rachadh Àrd Sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr a thogail, dhuinn fhèin. Cha dèanadh e mòran diofar càite, ach on a tha bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig agus Colaiste (Oilthigh) Gàidhlig gu bhith againn an-seo ann an Slèite, nach biodh e a’ cheart cho math an sloc anns a’ mheadhan a’ lìonadh a-steach, gus am biodh foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig againn on chreadhail gus am faigh iad PhD an seo aig Ostaig.
