Protest to be held over Fivemiletown St Mary's Primary School closure plans

A protest is to be held in Fivemiletown in Co Tyrone on Saturday over plans to close the only Catholic primary school in the village.

In January 2022 the Education Authority warned there were too many small unsustainable rural schools in Northern Ireland.

Parents at St Mary's Primary School are frustrated at the proposal by the Council for Catholic Maintained schools to lock the school gates for good in August.

Darina Dinsmore can't drive and walks her son to school everyday.

"If something was to happen I wouldn't know how my son would get to another school or where they would out him," she told UTV.

The nearest Catholic primary schools are in Clogher or Brookeborough, around five miles away.

St Mary's has 42 pupils and in the new school year in September it will have 48.

Under the Department for Education's Sustainability Schools Policy primary schools in rural areas should have 105 pupils.

"It's a small school but it's a viable school," Mairaid Kelly a member of the Board of Governors said.

"The bonds that the children form here will be bonds for life. To break those bonds and split those children in so many different directions because no school can in the surrounding area can take them all together would be devastating."

Ms Kelly's daughter whose daughter also goes to St Mary's told UTV: "This isn't a numbers game."

In statement the CCMS school said it understood the challenges a school closure brings and does not go about any such proposal lightly.

"CCMS reviewed the sustainability of the educational provision at St Mary’s Primary School in accordance with the Department of Education’s ‘Schools for the Future: A Policy for Sustainable Schools," the organisation said.

"CCMS would encourage everyone within the school community to continue to engage with the statutory consultation process. Any decision on the proposal will be made by the Education Minister/Permanent Secretary, who is responsible for approving any proposed change to a school.

St Mary's has been in the village since 1969.

It runs within its the budget and school numbers are on the increase.

Patrick Woods has one child at the school and is hoping to send his other four children.

"None of this is necessary. This proposal doesn't stack up. The bigger picture needs to be looked at," he said.

A consultation process is underway until the end of April.

The Department of Education added: “Departmental officials will then gather and assess all the relevant information and evidence provided and will present a submission to the Minister/Permanent Secretary for a decision.”

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