St Mary's, Brollagh: High school to close after integration rejected

A proposal to integrate a rural secondary school in County Fermanagh has been rejected by Education Minister Peter Weir.

St Mary's High School in Brollagh is set to close on 31 August "or as soon as possible thereafter".

The school, which is two miles from Belleek, currently has fewer than 70 pupils and last year had a budget deficit of more than £1.8m.

It has been threatened with closure three times since 2014.

In response to the proposal for integrated status, Mr Weir said: "I do not believe the case for transformation for change can be approved as it is not robust enough to justify."

Instead, he has approved the closure of the school, saying: "Despite the great efforts of people locally, it is clear to me that on a number of grounds the school is unsustainable and that discontinuation is ultimately in the best interests of local students."

Parents and politicians representing the area had supported integrated status, arguing that the school was an important facility in a deprived rural area.

They also pointed out that schoolchildren would be forced to travel even further on buses for their education.

The Education Authority, the Controlled Schools Support Council and the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education opposed the integration proposal.

They expressed concerns including the effect it would have on the wider integrated sector.

The closure has been criticised by Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan who is a former pupil of the school.

"To actually close the school in a post-Covid world has really angered me," she said.

"Children and parents should be afforded the opportunity, if so wanted, to be educated locally instead of being put on crowded buses to be shipped to large towns.

"It is very frustrating for myself and all those who are fighting to keep the school open when we are continually ignored by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, the Education Authority and now the education minister.

"We all must continue to fight to ensure post primary education remains in our local area."