Gaeltacht Education Spending to More Than Double in 2018

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 30/11/2017. Gaeltacht Education Spending to More Than Double in 2018

Nearly 80% of primary schools and 96% of post primary schools in the Gaeltacht, plan to achieve Gaeltacht school status

Investment in Gaeltacht education to more than double in 2018

One year on, the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton T.D. today announced the progress made on implementing the Policy on Gaeltacht Education.

This Policy on Gaeltacht Education, which was the first of its kind, was an action in the Minister’s Action Plan for Education, which aims to make Ireland’s Education and Training Service the best in Europe by 2026.

One of the key actions in implementing the Policy is the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme, which invited schools in Gaeltacht areas to opt into becoming Irish-medium schools meaning full immersion in the Irish language. Uptake has been very strong, with nearly 80% of primary schools in Gaeltacht regions opting into the Scheme and over 96% of post-primary schools.

The Minister today announced a package of additional supports for schools whose participation in the Scheme is confirmed in 2018. The package includes:

A grant of €1,000 for the purchase of Irish-language teaching materials.

Additional language support hours, which will be equivalent to providing an extra 40 whole-time teachers in Gaeltacht schools

Additional professional development for teachers, with substitute cover, provided by COGG, and the opportunity to participate in a new part-time M.Ed. in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht Education

Extra advisory visits from School Inspectors

The opportunity to take part in a pilot project to link post-primary Gaeltacht schools digitally to extend subject choice through the medium of Irish

All remaining schools (28 primary and 1 post-primary) will be given another opportunity to participate in the Scheme in 2018/2019 and a package of initial supports will be available to schools who indicate that they would like to join in the 2018/2019 school year.

The Minister secured additional funding of €1.3 million in Budget 2018, for the Policy on Gaeltacht Education, bringing the overall additional funding for Gaeltacht schools to €2.3 million.

Speaking at an event to mark the one year anniversary of the Policy in Scoil Náisiúnta Uí Ghramhnaigh in Ráth Chairn, the Minister said, “I’m delighted to see the success of the Policy to date. The Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme has clearly been very warmly received, with nearly 80% of primary schools and 96% of post-primary schools choosing to opt in and receive extra supports. I urge the remaining schools to look at the benefits of the Scheme and to carefully consider participating in it. I have set the overall ambition to make Ireland’s education and training system the best in Europe within a decade. Ensuring schools in our Gaeltacht areas are properly supported to flourish as centres of excellence for education through the Irish language, is important to achieving this ambition. I was also pleased to over double the funding allocated to the Policy in Budget 2018 and I look forward to seeing the further success of its implementation.”

Finally Minister Bruton thanked Mairéad Uí Cheallaigh, principal of Scoil Náisiúnta Uí Ghramhnaigh and Father O’ Connor, chairperson of the board of management, for the warm welcome he received at the school. He congratulated the children of the school on a very impressive performance and wished them well in their future endeavours.

Source: Education.ie