BY AILEEN MURPHY
Three Fermanagh principals, and a new organisation called Fermanagh Rural Education Entitlement, each took their campaign to save rural schools to the steps of Stormont on Friday when they attended a meeting of the Education Committee.
Martin McBrien from St Aidan's High School, Derrylin; Ita Jordan from St Mary's Primary School; and Eugene Dolan, from St Mary's Primary School, Killesher were speaking about the changes proposed in the Catholic schools sector.
Mr McBrien explained, "The Council for Catholic Maintained School (CCMS) should be commended for initiating the review. But we feel none of the options put forward would meet the needs of our area."
The principal explained the three schools have been very pro-active since the pre-consultation document was launched: "We formed an action group in this area, the Fermanagh/Kilmore Schools action group. We have had a number of meeting with the community here, and this trip to Stormont was facilitated after some very positive meetings with two MLA's, Arlene Foster and Tommy Gallagher."
On Friday morning the group made a presentation to the Education Committee and took part in a question and answer session.
Mr McBrien explained: "The main point of our presentation centred on the fact we feel none of the options presented meet the needs of this area. All the options proposed are based around pupil numbers and finance. But there are other factors which cannot be easily quantified, which need to be taken into consideration, particularly the social role played by schools in local community; the link to parishes; the role in propagating the faith; the homely atmosphere and the knowledge of pupils and their family background.
The message is simple from Mr McBrien 'you can't count everything that counts'.
"Instead of reacting to falling enrolment and funding shortfalls through there should be some sort of social funding introduced to maintain smaller but highly successful post-primary and primary schools such as these three," he urged.
"All of the options suggested are only pre-consultation options so there is still scope for re-examining the options and we urge CCMS to do so as three of the current options would entail the closure of St Aidan's and the other option would closure three of the local primary schools and either scenario would be detrimental to the communities we serve."
Meanwhile also addressing the Education Committee in Stormont on Friday were another group opposed to the Western Education and Library Board proposed changes. The group Fermanagh Rural Education Entitlement (FREE) put their case forward as to their concerns and issues arising from the WELB pre-consultation document.
A substantial delegation attended this meeting with three being able to put the submission forward to the committee. The submission was that the Boards process and document was flawed and should be halted.
Alan Madill, co-ordinator of FREE, who lead the delegation that put forward the submission said after the meeting.
"We are very happy with the hearing. The Committee was very interested in what we had to say.
"They were very sympathetic to the problems that isolated rural communities in areas such as Fermanagh have when it comes to issues such as schooling, and the effect that closing schools would have on the communities that they rightfully belong in.
"We would again call upon the WELB to withdraw from this process and if they want changes then start a proper consultation with the communities who are most directly concerned."
