Sinn Féin MLA Nicola Brogan has said there cannot be a blanket approach to rural schools from the Education Authority and the Department of Education when it comes to Area Planning.
The West Tyrone MLA said:
“Small rural schools are the heartbeat of local communities, and the Education Authority shouldn’t judge their sustainability by fluctuating pupil numbers alone.
“Many of these schools have provided and will continue to provide an excellent standard of education to our children.
“The Education Authority must take that into account as well as the importance of having a local school in a rural community.
“Sinn Féin will make sure that the voices of rural families are heard and that they are not left behind by the EA or the Department of Education.”