Nova Scotia’s sole Gaelic school receives $120K

Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage Minister Allen MacMaster chats with staff and students during a recent visit to the independent Gaelic immersion school, Taigh Sgoile na Drochaide, in Mabou, NS. (Contributed)

Nova Scotia’s only Gaelic immersion school will receive a provincial grant to continue operations.

Taigh Sgoile na Drochaide, an independent Gaelic school in Mabou, N.S., received a grant of $120,000, said a news release from the province Wednesday.

Allan MacMaster, minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, said Gaelic is more than just a heritage language for Nova Scotia.

“It’s a way of seeing and sharing the world with others, and it will live on through this new generation,” MacMaster said.

Kenneth MacKenzie, vice-president and director of Beinn Mhàbu, a satellite campus of the Gaelic College, said they are “thrilled” with the province’s support.

“Taigh Sgoile na Drochaide represents an approach to education that puts language and culture at the centre to promote a spirit of global citizenship that is rooted in the local community and its people,” MacKenzie said. “We’ve had so much generous support from our community, sponsors and donors. This provincial funding will be used to support operations, improve our place-based and culturally relevant curriculum, and support children and young families connecting with their culture.”

MacMaster said the funding supports children who “aren’t afraid to learn.”

“These young Gaels are bravely embracing the language of their people,” MacMaster said.

Taigh Sgoile na Drochaide opened in 2021. The school integrates Gaelic language and culture while “exceeding academic standards in math, science, language arts, social studies and visual arts,” said the release.

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