Tag: reporter Eileen Macdonald

BBC ALBA explores violence in Scotland’s schools in latest EÒRPA episode 

In the latest BBC ALBA Eòrpa documentary, Fòirneart ann an Sgoiltean na h-Alba l Violence in Scotland’s Schools, reporter Eileen Macdonald hears the troubling testimony of teachers and school staff, and asks what’s behind the problem, and what’s being done about it.

“Scratching, slapping, stamping and trying to kick you. More serious injuries such as cuts, biting, deep bruising right up to internal bruising and suspected fractures which needed hospital treatment.”

That’s an example of the statements given to Eòrpa by teachers and school staff all over Scotland – who have been granted anonymity to share their stories – detailing the violence and aggression they are subjected to on a regular basis.

Surveys conducted by several teaching and school staff unions of their members point to a problem that has worsened in recent years. The NASUWT Union report released earlier this year stated that 44% of respondents had experienced violence or physical abuse in the 12 months prior, with 90% having been verbally abused. The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) leaders too have raised concerns about the increasing levels of pupil violence.

‘Jackie’, not her real name, has thirty years’ experience as a primary teacher. She told Eòrpa of the marked change in pupil behaviour she’s witnessed in that time: “You get sworn at, you get derogatory comments, you can get threats like, ‘I know where you live and I’m going to get my dad to come and sort you out,’, that kind of stuff.

“I’ve been called an extremely offensive four-letter word regularly.”

Pupil support assistant ‘Anna’, again not her real name, told Eòrpa that she has been physically struck by pupils on several occasions.

Much of her work involves giving support to pupils with additional support needs (ASN): “We are expected to work with ASN pupils without the training or pay grades and we feel undervalued when we consider the amount of physical and mental abuse we receive but we don’t want to let the kids down.”

For ‘Anna’, more help is needed for support staff like her: “More support and definitely more – even some – training in handling these situations.

“No-one knows what they can do to help the kids but also protect ourselves from both harm and possible discipline as we don’t know how to handle kids that are violent towards us.”

Since the 2004 Education Act, there has been a presumption that pupils with ASN should be educated in mainstream schools. Reporter and presenter Eileen Macdonald asked Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth, if she believes inclusion is working in the context of a 700% increase in pupils with ASN since the 2004 legislation was introduced.

Ms Gilruth said: “We have inclusive schools in Scotland, and we want to have that broadness of approach. However, that has had the impact of increasing the number of children with an identified additional support need.

“But the other factor I think we need to bear in mind here is that there are far more children now who are having their additional support need identified than 20 years ago when I was in school. That’s a good thing.”

Reflecting on the stories that were shared with her for Eòrpa, Eileen Macdonald commented: “Some of the testimonies we’ve heard have been genuinely shocking, especially when we’re told some teaching staff are subject to verbal abuse and violence daily.

“Unions are questioning the efficacy of the Scottish Government’s National Action Plan on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools.

“Among the questions facing the Education Secretary are how to encourage greater reporting of incidents, and ensure genuine consequences are acted upon.”

Eòrpa is BBC ALBA’s flagship current affairs programme, covering a variety of domestic and European stories.

Eòrpa: Fòirneart ann an Sgoiltean na h-Alba | Violence in Scotland’s Schools premieres on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer at 10pm Monday 26 May.

Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mvwb/eorpa

BBC ALBA airs Eòrpa, Gaelic Census Special

2022’s Census saw the first increase in those able to speak Gaelic since 1971. The numbers were up from 57,375 to 69,701 – a 21% increase.

While the national data is welcome news for a language which has seen a long downward trend in speaker numbers, the picture is not as positive in the language’s heartland of the Western Isles.

There, Gaelic is now a minority language with 45% reported being able to speak it in 2022, compared to 52% in 2011 – a 7% decrease.

In this latest episode of BBC ALBA’s current affairs programme, Eòrpa, reporter Eileen Macdonald visits the Western Isles where she hears how depopulation and housing challenges are impacting traditional Gaelic-speaking communities.  In Glasgow Eileen hears the challenges faced by Gaelic speakers in Scotland’s cities when it comes to opportunities to use the language.

The northwest of the Isle of Lewis has traditionally been one of the areas in Scotland with the highest proportion of Gaelic speakers. There, Eileen met Kirsty and John, both plumbers and both part of a younger generation on which any improvement in the fortunes of the language depends.

Kirsty, a Gaelic speaker, told Eòrpa: “Not many people use it. If your parents or your gran or grandad have it, then you’ll probably speak it. But if your parents don’t have it, any the people you speak to regularly don’t either, then you won’t”.

John, who grew up with the language but rarely uses it, added: “I think if you’re not speaking it home, it’s definitely going to die down and I think less and less young people are out less and so they are not interacting with people who have Gaelic and they don’t know about it as well.”

Responding to the 21% growth nationally in Gaelic speakers, and sharp growth in parts of the the country with comparatively few Gaelic Services, Emeritus Professor Wilson McLeod of the University of Edinburgh said: “In places like Edinburgh and Glasgow, there are Gaelic schools and these places have always attracted Gaels from the islands for work and study.

“But in other parts of the mainland, there isn’t very much being done. Despite that, the biggest growth is seen in places like Aberdeenshire, Falkirk, Dundee and similar places where not much is happening in terms of Gaelic.”

Indeed, encouraging those able to speak the language to use it regularly remains a challenge. The Census tells us how many people in 2022 reported being able to speak the language, but not how many actually do.

In the Scottish Government, the responsibility for Gaelic is part of Deputy First Minister and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes’ brief.

Asked if she thinks Gaelic is in crisis, the Cabinet Secretary remarked: “You can be happy about the numbers that have gone up. People would always ask how best to provide more support for learners, and we’re seeing progress there. That’s good news.

“But a language has to be alive, like English is alive. Gaelic is alive in the traditional communities, but it’s bad news that the numbers there are falling. People ask if Gaelic is in crisis.

“I’m prepared to say “yes it is”, but that’s not going to make any difference if all it is is words. We need the right policies, as well as money and funding.

Reporter Eileen Macdonald: “Having visited communities, and met campaigners, experts, and poilicy-makers, it’s clear there are positives and negatives to take from the state of Gaelic today.

A national rise in speakers is good news, with Gaelic Medium Education continuing to play a large part in feeding that growth. However, there’s real concern about the decline of Gaelic in its heartlands and the fact that it is now a minority language in terms of speakers in the Western Isles.

“The challenge persists too, of how to make sure those able to speak it actually do.”

Eòrpa is BBC ALBA’s flagship current affairs programme, covering a range of domestic and European stories, ranging from the plight of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, to the impact of mass tourism in the Canaries, and the issue of gender-based violence in rural Scotland.

The new episode of Eòrpa: Suas leis a’ Ghàidhlig? premiered on BBC iPlayer and BBC ALBA at 9.00pm on Wednesday 28 August (in Gaelic with English subtitles).

Watch on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mvwb/eorpa