MINISTERS have been warned of a crisis in a bid to keep the ancient tongue of Scotland alive because of a dramatic shortage of teachers.

A new analysis says 19 local authorities has indicated that in the next five years Scotland will need 420 primary gaelic teachers and 229 in secondaries just to meet the needs of existing or planned provision.

There needs to be a minimum of 135 new primary teachers and 90 in secondary that are required. But the numbers graduating from universities this year alone to potentially teach Gaelic amount to just four in secondary and 21 in primary. And there are no guarantees they will even become teachers.

Authors of the new analysis have told the Herald there are now serious concerns that this will hit the bid to prevent Gaelic from dying.

The Scottish Government has made a commitment to ensure the long-term growth of Gaelic and Scots, the Middle English-derived language which was more popular in the lowlands of Scotland.

The 2011 census indicated that 57,375 people spoke Gaelic and 87,100 said they had some Gaelic skills and over 1.5 million people identified themselves as Scots speakers.

The concerns have surfaced in a study carried out by two academics with decades of experience of promoting Gaelic Medium Education (GME) locally and nationally - Dr Michael Foxley, former leader of Highland Council and member of the University of the Highlands and Island and Professort Bruce Robertson, former director of education and visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde.

They point out the crisis would hit remote island and rural schools claiming that some may be forced to close or revert to English medium education.

They say a powerful new task force needs to be urgently established to arrest the crisis exacerbated by numerous unfilled vacancies for GME teachers.

They say in the Highland Council area alone schools started the new school year with 15 vacancies, some of which had been advertised four times out of around 100 teachers across primary and secondary school.

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Professor Robertson said: "I think we are being honest on the scale of the need. This is the biggest challenge Gaelic has.

"There is nothing more basic than getting teachers in front of children. "I agree it has a hit on keeping Gaelic alive because Gaelic education is a cornerstone to keeping the language alive. If we don't have the teachers we cannot grow the language."

The Gaelic language has been part of the Scottish consciousness for centuries and has enjoyed a renaissance through folklore, literature and music.

Its origins can be traced back as far as the 10th Century and it is believed to have been brought to Scotland by way of Ireland.

From these beginnings, Gaelic spread throughout the country, becoming the main language of the medieval kingdom of Alba and remained that way right through to the 18th century.

But after the union of England and Scotland in 1707, English began taking over as the main language of Scotland and it eventually fell into decline.

The Highlands and Islands remain a stronghold for the Gaelic language and it is estimated in the Outer Hebrides as many as two in three speak it. However, the 2011 Census revealed Gaelic speakers account for only 1.1% of the entire Scottish population.

The academics say that to keep it alive, new financial incentives are also needed to encourage recruitment of teachers and that immediate Scottish Government-led intervention is needed.

The Scottish Government is currently looking into how the profile of the Scots language can be raised, a new strategic approach to Gaelic medium education and the creation of a Gàidhealtachd – a designated Gaelic speaking area.

The consultation is also covering the structure and function of Bòrd Na Gàidhlig – the principal public body promoting Gaelic in Scotland.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Scottish Government is committed to supporting access to Gaelic Medium Education for those that wish to have it.

“Gaelic teachers are vital to this success and that is why we are continuing to work with a range of partners, including GTCS, Initial Teacher Training Institutions and Bord na Gaidhlig, to create pathways, such as the new Gaelic Additional Teaching Qualification (ATQ) at Strathclyde, for those who wish to enter the sector.

“We will consider the findings of this paper carefully and welcome all contributions to the current consultation on the Scottish Government’s commitment to Gaelic and Scots. Ministers will set out any action in response to the consultation after it closes on November 17 and due consideration has been given to all feedback.”