This has been a milestone year for Gaelic learning. The Education (Scotland) Act 2016 introduced Gaelic-medium education (GME) provisions, assuring a national entitlement at primary-school level. New GME schools opened in Glasgow and Fort William, with building works underway in Portree, adding to three existing Gaelic schools across Scotland, and complementing departments in primary and secondary schools. And, recently, Scotland’s first director of Gaelic education, Mona Wilson, was appointed.

All this a far cry from the handful of parents who, in 1985, took the huge leap of faith in Inverness and Glasgow to enrol their 24 children in what seemed to many to be an educational experiment that wouldn’t last. Now, 31 years later, 3,500 primary school pupils across 15 local authorities are receiving their education through the medium of Gaelic.

There are a number of factors behind this. No longer is this a handful of Gaelic-speaking parents trying to hang on to their traditions. In fact, the vast majority of parents of GME pupils are, like their children, Gaelic learners.

There are a variety of reasons for parents opting for GME, in my experience. Some see the educational and developmental benefits of bilingualism for children, who normally have two years’ experience of Gaelic preschool provision before entering P1. Others have noted the attainment statistics. Research shows that, at worst, pupils achieve as well as their English-medium counterparts - and, in many cases, achieve far better than they might have been expected to. Most parents also associate with the very vibrant and growing Gaelic cultural scene in Scotland and invest in Gaelic education as a family unit, often learning the language with their children.

Recruitment a priority

This success story certainly hasn’t been plain sailing, and challenges are never far away. While we have never had so many qualified Gaelic teachers, nor has the demand been so high. Teacher recruitment, the biggest single obstacle to Gaelic education, must continue to be a priority, and through a combination of support from the government and Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the national public body for Gaelic, innovative pathways into teaching through university partnerships with local authorities are proving successful. Other workforce pressures exist among support staff and in the early years, where there are few opportunities for training and development, something that must be a focus of future planning.

Teachers in Gaelic education continue to face the challenges of finding suitable curriculum resources. These have come a long way from the pasting over of English texts witnessed in the 1980s and 1990s. The great work being carried out by Stòrlann - which produces Gaelic resources - and the Gaelic Books Council has led to a sea change for teachers, but much remains to be done. We must ensure a high-quality GME curriculum is available for, especially in the immersion stages of the first few years of primary.

The innovative e-Sgoil initiative - a virtual Gaelic school - has recently been introduced by Western Isles Council as part of a strategy to ensure that secondary schools across their scattered islands have access to a wide range of opportunities, including Gaelic, in their learner journey. This is something that secondary pupils and their educators will greatly benefit from, and I’m certain that this innovative approach will gather much interest across the country.

Without it, GME’s greatest weakness - the secondary experience - will not be addressed. A recent national conference jointly hosted by Education Scotland and Bòrd na Gàidhlig, focused on the solutions. The latter organisation will identify secondary education as a priority in the national Gaelic Language Plan for 2017-22.

Wider reach

Parents invest in Gaelic education as a family unit, learning with their children

However, the future of the Gaelic language cannot be left to a small group of parents who make the commitment to have their children educated through this medium. It is pleasing to note that more than 11,000 children experienced some form of Gaelic as part of their education last year, and that the 1+2 languages initiative has resulted in increasing numbers of Gaelic learners. There is also a growing interest in Gaelic arts, music, and media, with organisations such as Fèisean nan Gàidheal delivering exciting programmes for schools and communities.

One dangerous phenomenon that has appeared is the introduction of politics into the field of Gaelic education. Traditionally, Gaelic education has had cross-party backing in the Scottish Parliament, with all four of the biggest parties signalling active support for GME since 1999. The schemes that exist to fund Gaelic education from successive governments are innovative and encourage long-term planning.

Of late, however, some mischief-making in Holyrood and certain local councils has tried to align Gaelic education with the SNP government. I’m glad to say that the Education Act managed to get majority support, and one hopes that this has put an end to such approaches. Gaelic education must be seen as something that is apolitical and that should be considered on its own merits.

The map of Gaelic learning in Scotland shows pleasing growth, despite many hurdles along the way. I look forward to a day when it is normalised in modern Scotland and free from the challenges and extremes of opinion that we hear from some quarters. Just as some brave pioneers took the first steps in GME in 1985, I hope that 2016 can be seen as the year when Gaelic education started to become something we are proud of as a country - and just part of what we do for our children.

Bruce Robertson recently served as interim chief executive of Bòrd na Gàidhlig and is a former director of education