News / SNP government announces school closure moratorium
TWO TINY primary schools in Shetland could be spared the axe after Scottish education minister Mike Russell announced a one year moratorium on rural school closures.
The news comes as parents from Uyeasound and Burravoe continue with their campaign for the Scottish government to call in last month’s decision by Shetland Islands Council to close the two schools on the islands of Unst and Yell.
The moratorium will impact on the consultation to close Olnafirth primary school, in Voe, which was due to start this August. Head of schools, Helen Budge will recommend to the new education and families committee to postpone the consultation.
Mr Russell said he had asked local authorities not to progress or bring forward any new proposals to close rural schools while a new Commission on Delivery of Rural Education will review current legislation.
The minister said that the delivery of education in rural communities was fundamental to the social and economic make-up of a community, and Scotland had established “a clear legislative presumption against closure”.
He added: “Since the Schools Consultation Act came into force there have been differences in the interpretation of the act.
“I believe that these differences have resulted in the original intentions of the act – that the educational, not financial, benefits should be the main consideration – not always being followed.
“To allow for a comprehensive and fair assessment of the closures process, I have asked for a one year moratorium during which local authorities will not propose rural schools for closure.”
Shetland MSP Tavish Scott was quick to react to Wednesday’s announcement by saying that the government’s move should also apply to the Uyeasound and Burravoe primary schools, despite the fact the council had already decided on their closures.
“Under the current legislation, the final decision on the schools’ future rests with education minister, Mike Russell. He has yet to decide on local demands that he intervenes and stops these closures.
“Therefore no final decision to close these schools has been taken, but the Education Minister has no excuse now for not calling in these two cases,” he said.
His comments came just one day after he had agreed with parents from both affected schools that he would invite Mr Russell to visit Uyeasound and Burravoe primary schools.
Mr Scott said the communities in the north isles felt very much aggrieved by the decision and were determined to fight for the retention of their schools. “
Irrespective of any new legislation, it would be a very good idea for him to visit both of these schools prior to him making any decision on their future.
“Mike Russell must now call in the Uyeasound and Burravoe decision and if he is consistent, treat these schools, and their parents, pupils and staff, in exactly the same way as any other rural school in Scotland that is threatened by closure,” the LibDem MSP said.
However, in a letter to all councils, Mr Russell made it clear that schools where the consultation process had been completed and HMIe had submitted its own report would not fall under the terms of the moratorium.
Shetland Islands Council’s decision to close Uyeasound and Burravoe primary schools will save the local authority around £200,000 a year from its £42 million education budget.
Parents and their supporters have until 6 June to make representation to Mr Russell after which he has a further three weeks to decide whether or not to call in the council decision.
The government’s moratorium on school closures is proposed to run from 20 June 2011 to 20 June 2012.
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