Are gaelscoileanna anti-immigrant?
“This is a grass-roots, demand-led movement and anyone who wants to be part of it is welcome,” said Donall O Conaill, Director of Foras Patrunachta.
Irish language schools, known as gaelscoileanna, have been increasing significantly in numbers over the past three decades. There are now 171 Irish-medium primary schools and 43 secondary schools outside the Gaeltacht regions - up from 16 schools in total in 1972 - and parents are helping to organize new ones each year.
Most gaelscoileanna are created by groups of parents who can demonstrate a need for a gaelscoil in their area. If they can show that at least 17 children are interested in attending, and can provide a suitable site for a school as well as satisfying other conditions, the state will fund the creation of a new gaelscoil.
Proponents say the schools honour Ireland's history and culture and encourage pride in our heritage.
“We are a much more confident nation and language is a very powerful tool to express one's identity especially in Europe,” said Breandán Mac Craith of Foras na Gaeilge.
The curriculum in a gaelscoil is virtually the same as an English-language school, with all subjects taught through Irish. Research suggests that students in gaelscoileanna perform better than other students in tests, including tests in English.
“Pupils take advantage of language acquisition skills they pick up from being immersed in Irish at an early age. That kicks in when they start learning to read and they transfer their reading skills from Irish to English,” said Dónal Ó hAiniféin, principal of a gaelscoil in County Clare.
The popularity of gaelscoileanna is manifested in the intense competition for places in these schools, some of which have three-year waiting lists. Critics maintain that this competition fosters elitism. An audit by the Department of Education and Science in 2008 revealed that Gaelscoileanna have few immigrant or special needs students.
Critics also say that the gaelscoileanna cater for a wealthy elite and discriminate against Ireland’s immigrants, who seek English-language education for their children.
“These schools could unintentionally lead to a kind of white flight from English-language education,” primary school principal Colette Kavanagh said.
But the gaelscoileanna claim they are inclusive to all.
“This is a grass-roots, demand-led movement and anyone who wants to be part of it is welcome,” said Dónall Ó Conaill, Director of Foras Pátrúnachta, a patronage and management body for Irish language schools.
Some gaelscoileanna have taken the step of establishing minimums for foreign-born students. Last year, one gaelscoil in Ennis had a 10 percent admissions ratio for foreign-born children.
Far from making life harder for immigrants, there are those who say the exposure to the Irish language helps them adjust to Irish society.
“People don’t realize I’m not from here when I speak in Irish,” said a Czech immigrant who learned Irish.
“A lot of Irish people who speak Irish speak it as a second language and so we are all on the same footing. I fit in better in Irish.” (Source: findingDulcinea)
2 Responses to “Are gaelscoileanna anti-immigrant?”
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November 3rd, 2008 at 1:19 pm
“The popularity of gaelscoileanna is manifested in the intense competition for places in these schools…Critics maintain that this competition fosters elitism.” If there is an increase in demand then surely the most effective way to alleviate this is to increase supply. GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. have tried to do this despite being grosely underfunded (they have funding for only one Development Officer nationally), by trying to open 10 new primary schools for 2009 and up to 8 new second level Gaelcholáistí in the near future. See http://www.gaelscoileanna.ie/index.php?page=news&action=view_item&news_id=88&lang=en
Unfortunately, the Minister of Education and Science’s response to the problem of a lack of supply of Irish-medium education was to announce that there would be a review of the process for recognising new primary schools. Effectively creating a vacuum for those parents that are working towards setting up new gaelscoileanna.
Over 50% of gaelscoileanna are in temporary accommodation, some in very unsuitable accommodation, leaving that only the most dedicated parents are sending their children to those schools.
That said, I’m told that GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. have translated their information leaflets into five other languages, that are the lingua franca of a majority of the new-Irish.
Interestingly, the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism, an independent expert body focusing on racism and interculturalism, which is a partnership body which brings together government and non-government organisations offer no services through the medium of Irish, nor have they copies of their publications including Key Considerations for Service Providers (useful for any school) in Irish or any intention to offer services in Irish.
When the government itself shows little but lipservice in it’s support for the Irish-language how does this encourage the New-Irish to become proficient in Irish or send their children to a gaelscoil (normally in temporary accomodation when the local national school already has language support teachers, a permanent building and other learning and extra-curricular facilities).
If anything it is clear that it is the government that is wanting on this issue not the gaelscoileanna or the parents that help set up the gaelscoileanna, some of the most recent are immigrants or married to immigrants themselves.
November 5th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
I teach in a secondary Gaelscoil and I question the statement that we don’t take in students with special needs and that we cater for an elite. Certainly the majority of schools in Dublin are not in “posh” areas - far from it and there is not one fee-paing Gaelscoil in the country. I can only assume that immigrants will eventually work their way through the Gaelscoil system and I look forward to working with them. In the meantime let’s turn the spotlight on those who really do discriminate in their practices and by charging fees. Carmel Gray