Gaelic medium education in Scotland

Gaelic medium education (G.M.E. or GME; Scottish Gaelic: Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig) is a form of education in Scotland that allows pupils to be taught primarily through the medium of Scottish Gaelic, with English being taught as the secondary language.

Gaelic medium education is increasingly popular throughout Scotland, and the number of pupils who are in Gaelic medium education has risen from 24 in 1985 (its first year) to 3,892 in 2016. The current figure is the highest number of Gaelic medium Education pupils in Scotland since the 2005 passage of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act by the Scottish Parliament. Not included in this figure are university students at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Lews Castle College, or Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle who are taking their degrees through the medium of Gaelic.

However, some research has shown that Gaelic medium education by itself is not enough for full bilingual competency in Gaelic, and few pupils in primary Gaelic education will continue to use the language frequently as adults.

In 2015, 10,677 pupils in Scotland were receiving some kind of education in Gaelic representing 1.6% of the country's student population. This figure is higher than Scotland's overall proportion of Gaelic speakers which stood at 1.1% in 2011.

Over 3,600 students in Scotland were enrolled in Gaelic medium education in 2015, a 24% increase in only two years and a 38% increase over 2010 figures.

Five council areas had a higher than average enrollment of students in Gaelic Medium Education: Eilean Siar (27.96%); Highland (3.40%); Argyll & Bute (1.82%); Glasgow City (1.09%); and Edinburgh City (0.68%). All Gaelic medium education students in Argyll & Bute are at the primary level only.

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