Ballykeigle loses fight with SEELB on future

Ballykeigle loses fight with SEELB on future

30 November 2011 - by CIARA COLHOUN

BALLYKEIGLE Primary School is facing closure after 175 years of educating rural children.

On Monday the South Eastern Education and Library Board announced its recommendation the doors should finally close at the end of June.

The decision will now go out to public consultation with the final decision resting with Education Minister, John O’Dowd.

This news has come as a huge blow to supporters of the school, who had fought to secure its future since doubts about its viability were first raised by officials in October.

Parents had hoped to persuade SEELB commissioners to preserve the school despite its low enrolment, which is currently 43.

They had submitted a dossier of supportive evidence to education officials earlier this month, which they hoped would present a sound case for the future of the rural school.

But during a meeting of the SEELB commissioners on Monday, they decided to push ahead with the development proposal to close the school with effect from August 31.

This proposal will be subject to consultation and must be approved by the Education Minister before it is accepted.

Mr. Zane Lightfoot, whose son Reuben attends Ballykeigle, said he was disappointed by the recommendation to close the school despite parents’ efforts to prove it could be viable in the long-term.

He said he was upset that SEELB officers, who had agreed to consider the school’s future if parents could provide evidence of a growing enrolment, were pursuing the closure even though parents had compiled a list of 70 potential pupils by 2015.

“We did what we were asked to do and provided the SEELB with a list of pupils that would attend the school within the next few years and who would have put Ballykeigle close to its 76-pupil capacity within three years,” he said.

At the same meeting, SEELB officials also indicated an uncertain future for local special needs children who attend units within Knockmore Primary School in Lisburn.

Local parents, whose children travel by school bus to the special units, had lobbied for its preservation when it was also suggested that it should close.

Annacloy mum Breige Cassidy, whose son Daniel Savage attends one of the units, said she feared he would struggle if his unit closed.

Yesterday, she said she was very upset to learn that the units may close even though the primary school is to be retained.

Officials have confirmed they will consider the relocation of several of the special units into other mainstream primary schools nearer to pupils’ homes.

Mrs. Cassidy said she was unnerved by this prospect and concerned Daniel may be moved to a mainstream school.

“Daniel has done so well in his unit at Knockmore that I would be very fearful he would not cope if he is moved,” she said.

“I am very worried by this news.”