Closure of small schools is ‘death by a thousand cuts’ for communities

RURAL Ireland has been stripped of its post offices and garda stations and now the Government is squeezing out small national schools in a bid to make savings, a meeting of the Save our Small Schools Campaign in Dunmanway, Co Cork, heard yesterday.

Up to 700 people attended the meeting at the Parkway Hotel last night. Campaigners expressed concern that budget cuts in education could lead to the closure of up to 10 schools in West Cork within three years, with their plight being replicated nationally.

Clara McGowan — the principal of St James NS in Durrus, Co Cork, and spokeswoman for the campaign — said rural Ireland’s fabric would erode if small schools were forced to close.

“We fear if we win the battle this time, are we going to win it the next time? It is death by a thousand cuts. A school is the heartbeat of a community. It is an infringement on a child’s constitutional right not to be educated in his/her own community.”

Ms McGowan said budget cuts made it highly likely that a child in a one-teacher school could be in a classroom of 19 children, with eight grades being taught by the one teacher.

“In a two-teacher school, one teacher could be teaching 28 pupils with four grades and in a three-teacher school, one teacher could be teaching 34 pupils in three classes.”

For mother of three Frances Pyburn, St James NS is a family tradition. Her children are the third generation in her family to attend the school.

She said the area would be forever changed if it lost the 21 pupil national school.

“It would be devastating to the community if we were amalgamated. My eldest son who is in secondary school has dyspraxia. The small numbers at primary meant a lot to him.”

John McKenna, editor of the Bridgetstone Guides, was one of the guest speakers. He insists stealth moves to impose cuts on rural schools would destroy areas such as West Cork.

“A local school is of pivotal importance in terms of giving children a sense of place and belonging. One of the realities of West Cork is that a lot of people are not originally from here. When we moved here one of the things that we found attractive was the existence of the small school. If you want to continue the inclusiveness that is the charm of West Cork you need to retain the schools.”

Audrey Murphy, principal of Kilcoe NS in Skibbereen, said she was worried about classes having 35 pupils.

The meeting was also addressed by Cllr Declan Hurley, deputy mayor of Co Cork. He said there was “anger and concern” about possible cuts in small schools’ resources.