"Scots Education is a Human Right"

Dr Bill Wilson, SNP MSP for the West of Scotland, has lodged a motion stating that a recent pronouncement by the EU Parliament Civil Liberties Committee clearly implied that it was a human right for the children of Scots and Gaelic speakers to be educated in these languages.

He said, “The EU Committee is on record as saying that the right to speak and to be educated in one’s mother tongue is one of the most basic fundamental rights. Not only do I believe that it is a birthright for children to be educated in Scots or Gaelic, if their parents speak these languages, I also believe it is hugely advantageous to their general education and future prospects.

Dr Wilson based his comments in part on his recent report on the attitudes of Local Education Authorities, which revealed widespread appreciation of the benefits of teaching children to express themselves in Scots. He praised the considerable enthusiasm and expertise in Scots-language education in Scotland, and said: “If there are some yet to be convinced by the carrot of proven benefits, then I hope the stick of potentially being accused of breaching human rights will encourage them to take the issue seriously.”

Dr Wilson’s motion: http://tinyurl.com/5kqp29