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Debate on island school closures Council shelves school closures
(about 19 hours later)
Controversial plans to close down 11 island schools are to be debated later by councillors in the Western Isles. Councillors have shelved plans to close 11 schools in the Western Isles over the next six years.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is considering the closure of four primary schools next summer as well as all of the islands' junior secondaries. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar's education committee voted to defer the proposals and seek talks with Scottish ministers.
The proposals have already angered parents and community leaders, as well as infuriating Holyrood ministers. However, Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop came in for criticism during the four-and-a-half hour debate.
Last week Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop said she was "very surprised" at the council's plans. The intervention of the SNP MSP, who wrote to councillors before the meeting, was described by one member as "extraordinary interference".
Under threat are primaries in every one of the main island groups - all listed for closure in summer 2008 - as well as two junior secondaries at Bayble in Lewis and Daliburgh in Uist. The proposals to close four primary schools and all the islands' junior secondaries, where pupils get the first two years of secondary education, had angered parents and community leaders.
However, in the following five years, the five remaining junior secondaries are also set for closure. A row broke out between councillors and Ms Hyslop after she learned of the proposals on a visit to Stornoway last week.
The council said this was to enable pupils to receive all their high school education in one place rather than moving to senior secondary in the third year. Lack of cash
It said the new national curriculum was based on a three-year course rather than two years. The council's leadership had claimed that the new three-year national curriculum made the seven junior secondary schools redundant.
That argument was rejected by the education secretary.
However, council education chairwoman Morag Munro said the proposals were down to declining school rolls, a lack of cash to build new schools and deteriorating buildings.
The committee decided to defer a decision, seek talks with the Scottish Executive about money and the national curriculum, and to look at the viability of all the island schools.
Ms Munro said the decision was a bad day for education in the islands.