Caithfidh an Rialtas seo deimhniú go bhfuil dothain tacaíocht agus acmhainní ar fáil don Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge agus a chinntiú go bhfuil freastal cuí dhá dhéanamh ar an éilimh d'Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge, dar le Seanadóir Shinn Féin, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh.
Bhí urlabhraí Shinn Féin ar chúrsaí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta ag tagairt inniu do dhá thuairisc a scrúdaíonn na seansanna go mbeadh scoláirí ag dul ar aghaidh chuig an tríú leibhéal, nó ag titim amach as an gcóras oideachais, tuairiscí a léirionn go dtéann thart ar 57% de scoláirí ó Ghaelscoileanna ar aghaidh chuig an tríú leibhéal.
'Tá fás an earnáil oideachas lán-Ghaeilge i measc na scéalta is dearfaí ó thaobh oideachais di sa tír seo le roinnt mhaith blianta anuas. Táimid tar éis borradh mór a fheiceáil san earnáil seo agus tá sé sin tar éis cur go mór leis an méadú sa méid Gaeilgeoirí a áiríodh sa daonáireamh deireanach, le
1.66 milliún duine ag rá go bhfuil siad in ann Gaeilge a labhairt.
Tá go leor buntáistí oideachasúla ann ó thaobh na Gaeilge di
freisin agus tá sé léirithe gur féidir leis an dátheangachas ó aois óg a bheith fíor thairbheach maidir leis an tríú nó ceathrú teanga a fhoghlaim freisin. Léiríonn torthaí na dtuairisc seo freisin go bhfuil an chaighdeán oideachais sna
scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge fíor ard agus, ar an bhformhór, go bhfuil tar éis éirí go rí-mhaith leis an modh oideachasúil atá sna Gaelscoileanna.
Is mór an difríocht atá ann freisin idir na buntáistí oideachasúla a bhaineann le Gaelscolaíocht agus na buntáistí a bhaineann le scoileanna a ghearann táillí, a
bhfuil foinsí ioncaim phríobháideacha i bhfad níos mó acu ná na gnáthscoileanna, chun caitheamh ar sheirbhísí níos fearr. Tá na Gaelscoileanna ag blathú, ar an mórchuid, mar go bhfuil modh éifeachtach oideachasúil acu agus chun an fhírinne a rá, in aineoinn an easpa tacaíocht ón Rialtas. Is fiú nótáil go bhfuil na Gaelscoileanna scaipthe go cothrom ar cheantair faoi bhuntáiste agus míbhuntáiste araon.
Tá an comhréir de scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge atá ag fanacht le
cóiríocht nua i bhfad níos airde ná scoileanna eile, afach. Dar leis an scátheagraíocht Gaelscoileanna, ‘Tá géarchéim cóiríochta ins an earnáil Gaelscolaíochta faoi láthair'.
Is deacair easaontú leis an méid atá le rá acu. Tá seasca fán gcéad de na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge a bunaíodh le 25 bliain anuas i gcóiríocht shealadach. Tá seacht scoil ag fanacht le níos mó ná fiche bliain. Tá go leor acu i bhfoirgintí nach bhfuil oiriúnach le n-úsáid a thuilleadh agus cuireann sé seo bac ar fhás an oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge.
Céim ar gcúl atá ann freisin an cinneadh chun oifigí an NCCA agus COGG a chomhlonnú, in aineoinn an bhéim mór atá in ainm is a bheith ann ar thábhacht COGG faoin Straitéis Fiche Bliain. Inár dtuairim, ba chóir don Aire an cinneadh seo a tharraingt siar agus ba chóir COGG a chuir ag feidhmiú mar
shatailít don NCCA
Tá an Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge ag déanamh go maith, mar go bhfuil na scoileanna seo pobalbhunaithe agus toisc go bhfuil modh oideachasúil maith acu. Ach, chun leanúint ag fás, tá tacaíocht cuí de dhíth. Tá ar an Aire deighleáil leis an ngéarchéim cóiríochta san Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge agus a chinntiú go bhfuil go leor áiteanna ann le freastal ar an éileamh don Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge, rud nach bhfuil fíor faoi láthair.
______________________________
The Government needs to ensure that Irish medium education is supported and resourced adequately and that the demand for Irish Medium Education is met, according to
Sinn Féin Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh
The Sinn Féin spokesperson on the Irish Language and Gaeltacht affairs was commenting today on the findings of two studies that examined the likelihood of students to attend third level or to drop out, which showed that some 57% of students who attend a Gaelscoil were likely to go on to third level.
'The growth of the Irish medium education sector has been one of the success stories of Irish education over recent decades. We have seen huge growth in the sector and it has
significantly contributed to the growth in Irish Language speakers highlighted in the recent census which stated that 1.66 million citizens can speak Irish.
There are also very considerable educational advantages to Irish Medium Education and it has been shown that bilingualism from a young age can be very beneficial in subsequently learning a third or even fourth language. The
findings of this report bear out the fact that the standard of education in Irish medium schools is generally of a high quality and that the Gaelscoil model has by and large been very successful.
That the advantages which are attached to Gaelscoileanna are educational is also in contrast to the success being enjoyed by fee charging schools which is based on the fact that they have significantly higher discretionary income at their disposal to pay for enhanced services. Gaelscoileanna are by and large thriving because they have a very sound
educational model and it is frankly in spite of very poor
support from the Government. It is worth noting also that the Gaelscoileanna are to be found in both advantaged and disadvantaged communities in equal measure.
Irish language schools are however over represented among schools awaiting new buildings. The Irish Medium Education organisation Gaelscoileanna have said ‘There is an accommodation crisis in the Gaelscoil sector at present.‘
It is difficult to argue with this statement. SIxty per cent of
Irish Medium schools established in the last 25% years are in temporary accommodation. There are 7 waiting more than 20 years. Many of these buildings are no longer fit for purpose and overcrowded, and hinder the growth of Irish
Medium Education.
There is also the retrograde decision to co-locate the offices of NCCA and COGG, despite the Governments apparent emphasis on the importance of COGG to Irish Language Education in the 20 Years Strategy. We believe that this
decision should be reversed and that COGG should function as a satellite of the NCCA
Irish medium education has been successful because
these schools have been community led and have had a good educational model. However, to continue to thrive, they need to be adequately supported. The Minister needs to address the accommodation crisis in Irish MediumEducation and to ensure that there are enough Gaelscoil places to meet the
demand for Irish medium education, something which is clearly not the case
currently.
Bhí urlabhraí Shinn Féin ar chúrsaí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta ag tagairt inniu do dhá thuairisc a scrúdaíonn na seansanna go mbeadh scoláirí ag dul ar aghaidh chuig an tríú leibhéal, nó ag titim amach as an gcóras oideachais, tuairiscí a léirionn go dtéann thart ar 57% de scoláirí ó Ghaelscoileanna ar aghaidh chuig an tríú leibhéal.
'Tá fás an earnáil oideachas lán-Ghaeilge i measc na scéalta is dearfaí ó thaobh oideachais di sa tír seo le roinnt mhaith blianta anuas. Táimid tar éis borradh mór a fheiceáil san earnáil seo agus tá sé sin tar éis cur go mór leis an méadú sa méid Gaeilgeoirí a áiríodh sa daonáireamh deireanach, le
1.66 milliún duine ag rá go bhfuil siad in ann Gaeilge a labhairt.
Tá go leor buntáistí oideachasúla ann ó thaobh na Gaeilge di
freisin agus tá sé léirithe gur féidir leis an dátheangachas ó aois óg a bheith fíor thairbheach maidir leis an tríú nó ceathrú teanga a fhoghlaim freisin. Léiríonn torthaí na dtuairisc seo freisin go bhfuil an chaighdeán oideachais sna
scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge fíor ard agus, ar an bhformhór, go bhfuil tar éis éirí go rí-mhaith leis an modh oideachasúil atá sna Gaelscoileanna.
Is mór an difríocht atá ann freisin idir na buntáistí oideachasúla a bhaineann le Gaelscolaíocht agus na buntáistí a bhaineann le scoileanna a ghearann táillí, a
bhfuil foinsí ioncaim phríobháideacha i bhfad níos mó acu ná na gnáthscoileanna, chun caitheamh ar sheirbhísí níos fearr. Tá na Gaelscoileanna ag blathú, ar an mórchuid, mar go bhfuil modh éifeachtach oideachasúil acu agus chun an fhírinne a rá, in aineoinn an easpa tacaíocht ón Rialtas. Is fiú nótáil go bhfuil na Gaelscoileanna scaipthe go cothrom ar cheantair faoi bhuntáiste agus míbhuntáiste araon.
Tá an comhréir de scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge atá ag fanacht le
cóiríocht nua i bhfad níos airde ná scoileanna eile, afach. Dar leis an scátheagraíocht Gaelscoileanna, ‘Tá géarchéim cóiríochta ins an earnáil Gaelscolaíochta faoi láthair'.
Is deacair easaontú leis an méid atá le rá acu. Tá seasca fán gcéad de na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge a bunaíodh le 25 bliain anuas i gcóiríocht shealadach. Tá seacht scoil ag fanacht le níos mó ná fiche bliain. Tá go leor acu i bhfoirgintí nach bhfuil oiriúnach le n-úsáid a thuilleadh agus cuireann sé seo bac ar fhás an oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge.
Céim ar gcúl atá ann freisin an cinneadh chun oifigí an NCCA agus COGG a chomhlonnú, in aineoinn an bhéim mór atá in ainm is a bheith ann ar thábhacht COGG faoin Straitéis Fiche Bliain. Inár dtuairim, ba chóir don Aire an cinneadh seo a tharraingt siar agus ba chóir COGG a chuir ag feidhmiú mar
shatailít don NCCA
Tá an Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge ag déanamh go maith, mar go bhfuil na scoileanna seo pobalbhunaithe agus toisc go bhfuil modh oideachasúil maith acu. Ach, chun leanúint ag fás, tá tacaíocht cuí de dhíth. Tá ar an Aire deighleáil leis an ngéarchéim cóiríochta san Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge agus a chinntiú go bhfuil go leor áiteanna ann le freastal ar an éileamh don Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge, rud nach bhfuil fíor faoi láthair.
______________________________
The Government needs to ensure that Irish medium education is supported and resourced adequately and that the demand for Irish Medium Education is met, according to
Sinn Féin Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh
The Sinn Féin spokesperson on the Irish Language and Gaeltacht affairs was commenting today on the findings of two studies that examined the likelihood of students to attend third level or to drop out, which showed that some 57% of students who attend a Gaelscoil were likely to go on to third level.
'The growth of the Irish medium education sector has been one of the success stories of Irish education over recent decades. We have seen huge growth in the sector and it has
significantly contributed to the growth in Irish Language speakers highlighted in the recent census which stated that 1.66 million citizens can speak Irish.
There are also very considerable educational advantages to Irish Medium Education and it has been shown that bilingualism from a young age can be very beneficial in subsequently learning a third or even fourth language. The
findings of this report bear out the fact that the standard of education in Irish medium schools is generally of a high quality and that the Gaelscoil model has by and large been very successful.
That the advantages which are attached to Gaelscoileanna are educational is also in contrast to the success being enjoyed by fee charging schools which is based on the fact that they have significantly higher discretionary income at their disposal to pay for enhanced services. Gaelscoileanna are by and large thriving because they have a very sound
educational model and it is frankly in spite of very poor
support from the Government. It is worth noting also that the Gaelscoileanna are to be found in both advantaged and disadvantaged communities in equal measure.
Irish language schools are however over represented among schools awaiting new buildings. The Irish Medium Education organisation Gaelscoileanna have said ‘There is an accommodation crisis in the Gaelscoil sector at present.‘
It is difficult to argue with this statement. SIxty per cent of
Irish Medium schools established in the last 25% years are in temporary accommodation. There are 7 waiting more than 20 years. Many of these buildings are no longer fit for purpose and overcrowded, and hinder the growth of Irish
Medium Education.
There is also the retrograde decision to co-locate the offices of NCCA and COGG, despite the Governments apparent emphasis on the importance of COGG to Irish Language Education in the 20 Years Strategy. We believe that this
decision should be reversed and that COGG should function as a satellite of the NCCA
Irish medium education has been successful because
these schools have been community led and have had a good educational model. However, to continue to thrive, they need to be adequately supported. The Minister needs to address the accommodation crisis in Irish MediumEducation and to ensure that there are enough Gaelscoil places to meet the
demand for Irish medium education, something which is clearly not the case
currently.
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