Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Cuireadh tús le próiseas deimhnithe d’aitheantas mar Scoil Ghaeltachta i mí Dheireadh Fómhair 2022. An sprioc atá ag an bpróiseas ná a dheimhniú go bhfuil scoileanna atá páirteach sa Scéim ag comhlíonadh na gcritéar teangabhunaithe atá leagtha amach don Scéim Aitheantais Scoileanna Gaeltachta. Táthar ag súil go mbeidh cuairteanna meastóireachta na gcigirí curtha i gcrích faoi Cháisc 2024.

Foilsíodh nóta treorach do bhunscoileanna agus d'iar-bhunscoileanna sa Scéim Aitheantais Scoileanna Gaeltachta i 2022 chun cabhrú le scoileanna ullmhú do chuairteanna meastóireachta.

Is éard atá i gceist leis an bpróiseas ná cuairt mheastóireachta ón gCigireacht ar scoileanna atá rannpháirteach sa Scéim chun measúnú a dhéanamh ar an dul chun cinn atá déanta acu maidir leis na critéir teangabhunaithe a chur i bhfeidhm. Bronnfar aitheantas mar scoil Ghaeltachta ar scoil nuair a dheimhnítear go bhfuil cleachtas na scoile forbartha de réir na gcritéar teangabhunaithe.

Tá na gnéithe seo a leanas mar chuid den chuairt mheastóireachta:

• léargas ón scoil ar an dul chun cinn atá déanta i gcomhlíonadh na gcritéar teangabhunaithe,
• cuairt ar shuíomhanna foghlama sa scoil
• cruinniú le hionadaithe ó chumann tuismitheoirí na scoile.

Tar éis na cuairte, scríobhann an cigire tuairisc ar shonraí agus ar thorthaí na meastóireachta. Tugtar moladh sa tuairisc faoinar chóir nó nár chóir aitheantas a bhronnadh ar an scoil mar Scoil Ghaeltachta agus, sa chás nach moltar aitheantas a bhronnadh, ar cheart tréimhse breise ama a thabhairt don scoil chun níos mó dul chun cinn a dhéanamh.

Leantar próiseas, atá ag teacht le ghnáth-chur chuige na Cigireachta, chun an tuairisc a eisiúint:

• Cuirtear an tuairisc trí phróiseas dearbhaithe cáilíochta inmheánach, mar a dhéantar le tuairiscí uile na Cigireachta.
• Seoltar cóip den tuairisc chuig an scoil chun deis a thabhairt di na fíricí atá ann a dheimhniú.
• Tugtar deis d’fhoireann bainistíochta na scoile ina dhiaidh sin freagra a thabhairt ar an tuairisc.
• Nuair atá freagra faighte ó fhoireann bainistíochta na scoile, déanann an Cigireacht na tuairiscí, mar aon leis na moltaí, a thabhairt chun críche.
• Beifear i dteagmháil leis an scoil in am trátha maidir le toradh an phróisis deimhnithe.

Tá 103 bunscoil agus 29 iar-bhunscoil sa Ghaeltacht ag glacadh páirte sa Scéim faoi láthair.

Tá cuairt meastóireachta faighte ag níos mó ná leath de na scoileanna sa Scéim go dtí seo. Níl aitheantas oifigiúil bronnta ar scoil ar bith go fóill toisc go bhfuil an próiseas fós ar siúl.

The validation process for recognition as a Gaeltacht School commenced in October 2022. The purpose of the validation process is to confirm that schools participating in the Scheme are fulfilling the language-based criteria set out for the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme. It is expected that the inspectors’ evaluation visits will be completed by Easter 2024.

A guidance note for primary and post-primary schools in the Gaeltacht Schools Recognition Scheme was published in 2022 to assists schools to prepare for evaluation visits.

The process involves an evaluation visit from the Inspectorate to schools participating in the Scheme to assess their progress in implementing the 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.

The evaluation visit includes:

• a presentation by the school on the progress made in fulfilling the language-based criteria,
• visits to learning settings in the school
• a meeting with representatives of the school’s parents association.

Following the visit, the inspector writes a report on the details and findings of the evaluation. The report gives a recommendation as to whether or not the school should be awarded recognition as a Gaeltacht School and, where recognition it is not recommended that recognition be awarded, whether the school should be given an additional period of time to make further progress.

A process in accordance with the Inspectorate’s standard approach, is taken in issuing the report:

• The report is subjected to an internal quality assurance process, as is done for all Inspectorate reports.
• A copy of the report is sent to the school to give them the opportunity to confirm the facts contained therein.
• The school management team is then given an opportunity to respond to the report.
• Following receipt of the response from the school management team, the reports, including recommendations, are finalised by the Inspectorate.
• The school will be contacted in due course in relation to the outcome of the validation process.

103 primary schools and 29 post-primary schools in the Gaeltacht are currently participating in the Scheme.

Over half of the schools in the Scheme have received an evaluation visit to date. Official recognition has not been awarded to any school yet as the process is ongoing.