Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
513. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 249 of 24 March 2024, the status of the development of the next policy on Gaeltacht education, to replace the 2017-22 policy that was extended to the end of the 2023-24 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12857/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department launched the Policy on Gaeltacht Education as a strategic response to address the linguistic challenges facing Gaeltacht language-planning areas. Significant progress has been made across all aspects of the Policy since the commencement of its implementation.
The Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme was launched in April 2017. 103 primary schools and 29 post-primary schools in the Gaeltacht are currently participating in the Scheme. The main aim of the Scheme is to strengthen immersion education experiences in Irish to support pupils’ language acquisition and enrichment.
The term of the Scheme was extended by two years to the end of the 2023/2024 school year due to the impact of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. This ensured that schools in the Scheme would continue to access additional supports to fulfil the language-based criteria to gain recognition as a Gaeltacht school.
A validation process for Gaeltacht School recognition commenced in October 2022. The process is to confirm that schools participating in the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme are fulfilling the necessary language-based criteria. Recognition as a Gaeltacht school will be awarded to a school when it is confirmed that the school’s practice has been developed in accordance with the language-based criteria. Evaluation visits by inspectors will conclude before the Easter break.
Schools participating in the Scheme have been advised that supports under the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme will continue throughout the school year 2024/2025.
A research and evaluation study is currently being undertaken by the Educational Research Centre (ERC) to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the Scheme in order to inform future policy and practice in schools.
The ERC continues to conduct research on student attainment and on the views of parents, students, teachers and principals of participating schools. A report on these research findings will be published by my Department in due course.
