Gaelic funding for education: FOI release

Information requested

Information on total Scottish Government spending to promote Gaelic teaching in schools over the last ten financial years.

Response

In the last ten financial years the Scottish Government has contributed to the promotion of Gaelic teaching by funding several initiatives.

The STREAP programme is delivered by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the national centre for Gaelic language and culture on Skye and a constituent college of the University of the Highlands and Islands. STREAP’s purpose is to aid Gaelic speaking teachers working within English Medium Education to undertake the necessary training to teach in Gaelic Medium Education, as well as to provide Continuing Professional Learning and Development to teachers currently employed within Gaelic Medium Education. In the last ten years the Scottish Government has contributed the following funding to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig to help with its delivery of STREAP:

2014-15: £93k
2015-16: £93k
2016-17: £85k
2017-18: £65k
2018-19: £65k
2019-20: £65k
2020-21: £65k
2021-22: £74k
2022-23: £67,152
2023-24: £67,152

In the financial years from 2014-15 to 2016-17 the Scottish Government also funded the Gaelic Immersion for Teachers (GIfT) programme. This was delivered by Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the national public body with responsibility for Gaelic development. GIfT allows qualified teachers and ELC practitioners with some level of Gaelic to undertake a year-long immersion course in the language which would then enable them to work in the Gaelic medium sector. The funding within these years was as follows:

2014-15: £250k
2015-16: £250k
2016-17: £200k

Within the last ten financial years the Scottish Government has provided Bòrd na Gàidhlig with funding for a Teacher Recruitment Officer focused on Gaelic Medium Education. That funding is broken down as follows:

2014-15: £50k
2015-16: £50k
2016-17: £50k
2017-18: £50k
2018-19: £50k
2019-20: £50k
2020-21: £50k
2021-22: £50k
2022-23: £50k
2023-24: £50k

In 2014-15 the Scottish Government also provided Bòrd na Gàidhlig with £50k towards a promotion campaign on behalf of Gaelic Medium Education.

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