THERE are rural areas of Northern Ireland that have no schools today.
Five years ago, they had at least two, one Catholic and one state.
Bellarena in Derry is just one example.
Both schools were small, both were struggling and both wanted to retain education in the area - but both closed.
It is a pattern that has been repeated elsewhere.
Area planning has not worked as was envisaged - school sectors continue to plan within their own silos.
There have been no new models of education created and even plans for the north's joint-faith school in Desertmartin, Co Derry appear in tatters with plans to shut one of the would-be participants.
Derek Baker is right when he laments the "failure of proper area planning".
His disappointment is shared with those who fought and failed to retain schools in their communities, which they might have achieved had sectors talked to and planed with each other.
