The Scottish Parliament has passed a landmark Scottish Languages Bill designed to deepen the roots of Gaelic and Scots across the country.
Parents will now be empowered to request the establishment of Gaelic schools in their local area.
Local councils must explore the practicality and cost of new schools when a request is submitted.
If assessments show a proposal is viable, ministers may direct councillors to proceed with creating a new Gaelic school.
The Bill introduces fresh educational standards tailored for Gaelic and Scots.
It recognises both languages as official, placing them on equal footing with English in public life.
Communities with strong Gaelic heritage will have designated areas of linguistic significance.
These designations will help ministers direct resources where they will have the greatest cultural impact.
For young learners, the legislation enables access to Gaelic nursery and early years places right across Scotland.
Parents in all communities can now seek early years provision in Gaelic for their children.
Academically, the Bill supports the expansion of Gaelic-medium qualifications, so learners can study in their mother tongue.
To measure progress, new targets will be set for the number of people speaking and learning Gaelic.
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, Kate Forbes, welcomed the Bill’s passage.
She said that it will “introduce powers to accelerate the growth of Gaelic and Scots. It will establish them as official languages, introduce new educational standards and support the creation of areas of linguistic significance in Gaelic communities.”
Forbes pointed to a recently observed “encouraging increase in the number of Gaelic speakers across Scotland”.
However, she added a note of caution, recognising that “more support is needed in communities where the language is traditionally spoken.”
To bolster those efforts, the Scottish Government is contributing an additional £5.7 million specifically to promote Scotland’s languages.
Forbes added that ministers are “working to drive growth in Gaelic communities so that more people who speak the language continue to live in those areas.”
The Bill signals a decisive shift in policy, moving beyond simply preserving minority languages.
It represents a measured and enthusiastic commitment to nurture Gaelic and Scots so that they flourish in both rural heartlands and urban settings.
It also provides tools to local authorities and ministers to meet the needs of families and learners.
For parents hoping for Gaelic education, the path is clearer and more certain.
Councils will now have to respond to local demand backed by national oversight and potential ministerial direction.
For learners of all ages, the Bill paves the way for better access to Gaelic-medium education, qualifications and support.
For communities, it promises stronger cultural infrastructure and formal recognition of the languages that define Scottish heritage.
As Scotland celebrates this forward step, the Bill is already being hailed as a key moment in the revival of Gaelic and Scots.
It seeks to ensure that future generations will not only encounter these languages but choose to live in them, shaping a richer cultural landscape across the Highlands, Islands and beyond.
