Opinion

Schools shake up must be carefully handled

The Education Authority's annual action plan identifying dozens of schools for which sustainability is an issue, could be seen as heralding a period of widespread change in our mainly rural network.

There is an inevitability to this report given demographic changes and the squeeze on budgets, but there is likely to be dismay in communities where the local school is a key focal point and held in great affection by generations of families.

The EA document does not use the words closure or amalgamation but there has long been a recognition that maintaining small rural schools with dwindling numbers is a major issue for the education authorities.

It is worth pointing out that this is the second such report by the EA and many schools named this week also appeared in last year's plan but no action was taken in most cases.

This would suggest that any changes are likely to take a considerable period of time and certainly would have to involve full consultation.

If there are moves to close or merge schools then it is vital parents and staff are kept informed about all proposals and their views listened to and taken into account before any final decisions are made.

However, while some parts of Northern Ireland are faced with a situation of too many school places for the size of the population, in other areas there are not enough places.

The EA report also looks at the possibility of increasing enrolments where there is increased demand, a move that would be welcomed by parents hoping to send their children to oversubscribed schools.

Given the financial constraints in education and the lack of ministerial direction, it is not clear when we are likely to see any large-scale changes.

But ultimately, there is a responsibility on those in charge of planning and managing our school system to make sure it is delivering a high standard of education making best use of available resources.