A JOINT honours degree in Gaelic with education has been launched to tackle a teacher shortage and help revive the language.
The lack of qualified teachers at both primary and secondary level has been seen as a drawback in the fight to safeguard and develop Gaelic.
The course, the first of its kind in Scotland, has been developed by Aberdeen University and colleges in
the Highlands and Islands.
From September, students will be able to study for the degree at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on Skye or at Lews Castle College in Stornoway, with the education component completed online with Aberdeen's School of Education.
Christina Walker, a lecturer in Aberdeen's School of Education, has been appointed project co-ordinator for the course, which will be delivered in partnership with the colleges of the UHI Millennium Institute (UHI), the forerunner of a university of the Highlands and Islands.
She said: "This is a very exciting new post that takes forward a joint development between the university and UHI colleges to boost the number of Gaelic teachers.
"The new degree allows students to undertake academic studies in the language and to train for Gaelic teaching in a Gaelic environment, an opportunity which should boost their language competency, both oral and written, to a marked extent.
"They will be studying through immersion in the language, which will in turn assist them in their understanding of teaching youngsters."
The courses will be open to native speakers and Gaelic learners.
The most recent census showed the number of Gaelic speakers had fallen to 58,969, a decline of 7,426 on 1991. However, a growing number of children – now 3,204 – are being taught through Gaelic medium education. A further 3,701 are studying Gaelic as a subject or are on a Gaelic learners' course in secondary schools across Scotland.
However, the number of Gaelic-speaking teachers has struggled to keep pace. The Scottish Executive launched a Gaelic medium teachers' action group nearly three years ago to tackle the shortage and provided Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the national development agency, with funds for a teacher recruitment officer.
In the past six months the National Gaelic Education Steering Group has been established to address the shortage.
Last year a record 20 primary and nine secondary school Gaelic-speaking teachers graduated in Scotland, compared with 12 primary and two secondary probationers in 2006.
In August just five primary and five secondary probationer teachers will enter the profession, although a significant increase in primary Gaelic teachers is anticipated for next year.
Rosemary Ward, education manager for Bòrd na Gàidhlig, said: "We now need additional qualified teachers to pass on their skills to the next generation of young Scots learning their national language."
• Linda Fabiani, the culture minister, yesterday named Arthur Cormack as deputy chairman of Bòrd na Gàidhlig.
The full article contains 483 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
