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Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning

Regional Dossier series

The Gaelic language in education in Scotland (3rd Edition)

Ingeborg Birnie

Published online: August 2025

Editions available

Highlights

  • Since 2005 Gaelic has been an official language of Scotland, commanding equal respect to the English language. This has not resulted in additional rights to use Gaelic or access Gaelic (medium) education yet. Parents can make a request for Gaelic (medium) education through their local authority which is then obliged to carry out an initial assessment to establish parental demand within the area.
  • In July 2025 the Scottish Languages Bill was given Royal Assent. This bill will provide further support to the language and promote Gaelic within the education system.
  • Gaelic Medium Education is currently the main mechanism for Gaelic language acquisition for children and young people in Scotland.
  • Provisions for Gaelic Medium Education grew significantly since its inception in the early 1980s and 1990s and is currently provided in 16 local authorities in 61 primary schools to around 1% of all pupils in Scotland.
  • Young people can also learn Gaelic as a subject in both primary school and secondary school. Gaelic (for learners) is available in 7 local authorities. Exam level qualifications are available at all levels.


Gaelic and its status in education in Scotland

Gaelic is an official language of Scotland, commanding equal respect to the English language. In July 2025 the Scottish Languages Bill was given Royal Assent. This bill will provide further support to the language and promote Gaelic within the education system. Gaelic can be used as a medium of instruction (Gaelic Medium Education or GME), or as a subject (Gaelic for learners). In 2022/23, Gaelic learning opportunities were available in schools in 59% of the Local Authorities in Scotland, with 0.8% of all primary school pupils enrolled in GME and 0.5% of secondary school pupils receiving some input through the medium of Gaelic. Initial teacher education for teachers wishing to work in GME is provided at several universities. Gaelic has a limited presence within the university and further education system, with only one institution delivering programmes fully through the medium of Gaelic.

Gaelic in educational research

Research on the sociolinguistic position of Gaelic began in the 1970s and has included studies on the role that Gaelic Medium Education plays on supporting Gaelic language acquisition and language use, both within and outside of the education system. The focus of current research has been on supporting Gaelic (medium) teachers and encouraging children and young people to make (greater) use of the language outside of the education system.

Prospects for Gaelic in Scotland

The last census results (conducted in 2022) showed an increase in the number of individuals able to speak Gaelic compared to the 2011 data, from 57,375 to 69,701. However, various studies have suggested that English is now the dominant language of all communities, even where a significant proportion of the population can speak Gaelic. Gaelic Medium Education has supported language acquisition, but this has not resulted in an increase of Gaelic language use outside of the education domain. The growth of Gaelic Medium Education is hampered by a lack of teachers able to teach at all stages of the curriculum.

A’ Ghàidhlig agus inbhe ann am foglam ann an Alba

‘S e cànan oifigeil na h-Alba a th‘ anns a‘ Ghàidhlig aig a bheil spèis cho-ionnan ris a‘ Bheurla. Fhuair Bile Cànanan na h-Alba Aonta Rìoghail aig deireadh an t-Iuchar 2025. Bidh am bile seo air taic a bharrachd a thoirt air a’ chànan agus a’ Ghàidhlig a bhrosnachadh taobh a-staigh siostam an fhoglaim. Tha a‘ Ghàidhlig ga cleachdadh mar mheadhan-teagaisg (Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig no FMtG), no mar chuspair (Gàidhlig dha luchd-ionnsachaidh). Ann an 2022/23 bha cothroman ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlg gan tabhann ann an 59% de na h-ùghdarrasan ionadail ann an Alba, le 0.8% de sgoilearan air an clàradh ann am FtMG aig ìre bun-sgoile agus 0.5% aig ìre àrd-sgoile. Tha foghlam thidsearan ga solarachadh aig grunn oilthighean. Chan eil a‘ Ghàidhlig làithreach gu ìre mhòr taobh a-staigh oilthighean agus foghlam adhartach, ‘s ann a-mhàin aig aon ionad-fhoghlaim far a bheil prògraman tro mheadhan na Ghàidhlig gan lìbhrigeadh.

Gàidhlig ann an rannsachadh fhoglaim

Thòisich sgrùdadh air suidheachadh sòisio-chànanach na Gàidhlig anns na 1970an agus tha seo air a bhith a‘ gabhail a-steach rannsachadh a thaobh buaidh Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig air ionnsachadh agus cleachdadh na Gàidhlig, an dà chuid taobh a-staigh agus taobh a-muigh siostam an fhoghlaim. San latha an-diugh tha fòcas an rannsachadh stèidhichte air taic do thidsearan (a bhios ag obair tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig), agus brosnachadh chloinne is daoine òga an cànan a chleachdadh (nas trice) taobh a-muigh siostam an fhoghlaim.

Dùilean airson a’ Ghàidhlig ann an Alba

Tha toraidhean a’ chunntais-sluaigh mu dheireadh (a chaidh a chumail ann an 2022) air àrdachadh ann an àireamh luchd-labhairt a shealltainn an taca ri 2011, bho 57,375 gu 69,701. Tha rannsachadh air sealltainn gur e a’ Bheurla am prìomh chànan anns a h-uile coimhearsnachd a th’ innte, fiù ’s far a bheil a’ Gàidhlig aig a’ mhòr-chuid den t-sluagh. Tha Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhilg air taic a thoirt dha ionnsachadh a’ chànain ach chan eil seo air cleachdadh àrdachadh taobh a-muigh siostam an fhoghlaim. Tha bacadh air fàs Foghlaim tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig air sgàth dìth thidsearan aig gach ìre den siostam an fhoghlaim.

About this Regional Dossier

 

Author biography

Ingeborg Birnie, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer in the University of Strathclyde's Institute of Education. Her research and teaching interests focus on minority languages in and for learning and their promotion outside of the education system, especially through the creation of (real and virtual) breathing spaces. She has worked with the European Centre for Modern Languages to promote the teaching and learning of languages in the early years (covering pre-primary and primary) and is currently working with UNESCO on the promotion of Indigenous languages in education as part of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. She currently serves as the member in respect of the Netherlands on the Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee for the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

 

Previous editions

The first (2001) and second (2018) editions of this Regional Dossier were written by Boyd Robertson.

 

How to cite this Regional Dossier

Birnie, I., Robinson-Jones, C. (ed.), & Jansen, M. (ed.). (2025). The Gaelic language in education in Scotland. (Regional Dossier series). Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning. www.mercator-research.eu/regional-dossiers/gaelic-scotland/