A NEW ORGANISATION AIMED AT PROTECTING SMALL RURAL SCHOOLS WILL BE LAUNCHED THIS EVENING IN CO SLIGO, WHERE ALMOST ONE-THIRD OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS ARE FACING A GOVERNMENT VALUE-FOR-MONEY REVIEW.

APPEALING FOR THE SUPPORT OF COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THE ORGANISERS HAVE PREDICTED THAT UP TO 1,000 PEOPLE WILL ATTEND THE “SAVE OUR SCHOOLS” PUBLIC MEETING.

THEY SAY 21 OF THE 69 PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY HAD FEWER THAN 50 PUPILS AND WERE THEREFORE SUBJECT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REVIEW.

PARENTS, TEACHERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE IRISH NATIONAL TEACHERS’ ORGANISATION, THE GAA, AND THE IFA, AS WELL AS SLIGO-NORTH LEITRIM’S THREE TDS, HAVE BEEN INVITED.

JIM HIGGINS, INTO PRESIDENT, WHO HAS SPENT MOST OF HIS CAREER TEACHING IN CO SLIGO, IS URGING THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION TO REASSURE PARENTS AND COMMUNITIES THAT THEIR SCHOOLS WOULD NOT BE CLOSED.

HE SAYS IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SAFEGUARD SCHOOLS WITH A MINORITY ETHOS, AND SCHOOLS IN REMOTE LOCATIONS SUCH AS ISLANDS.