Unionists angry at decision to shut Lurgan campus of Craigavon Senior High School

The school, in Alexandra Square, Lurgan, has been in a very poor state of repair for many years with pupils and parents, as well as politicians seeking an alternative site to the campus.

-

-

The decision, made by the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Education, has been condemned by the Ulster Unionist Party and the DUP which is seeking an urgent meeting with the Permanent Secretary.

Doug Beattie MC MLA said: “Over a protracted period, the Lurgan community have fought to find a solution to the problem of the Lurgan Campus of the Craigavon Senior High School that kept the children in Lurgan and maintained a clear educational pathway.

"Unfortunately, against the wishes of the community, academics local councillors and the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Councils own Community Plan, the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Education had decided that he would rather bus the children from Lurgan to Portadown than find a Lurgan solution.

"This will be a bitter blow to some of the most educationally vulnerable in Lurgan and shows a real lack of vision on the part of the Education Department.

"This is compounded by the very fact that a Minster for Education refused to make a decision on this development proposal although pressed on it multiple times.

"The reality is that the children of Lurgan have been failed over many years by the Education authority and when there was an opportunity to put education first, they decided to take the route of least resistance ignoring all other options.”

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart and MLA colleagues Diane Dodds and Jonathan Buckley have requested an urgent meeting with Department of Education Permanent Secretary Dr Mark Browne, following his decision to implement the Education Authority (EA) plan to close the Craigavon Senior High School’s Lurgan campus from September 2023.

Opposing the decision, the DUP representatives said: “This is a highly controversial and contentious decision, and as such it is entirely inappropriate that a civil servant take it. Unelected officials having absolutely no mandate to foist their opinion on the public.

"The future of the Lurgan campus of Craigavon Senior High is vital to the town of Lurgan, to the future of the Dickson Plan, and to the educational and social development of local children.

"The young people attending the Lurgan campus are drawn from Lurgan itself, but also a number of local villages. Parents are now asking how some pupils will even access the Portadown campus given the failure of the Education Authority to provide fit for purpose school transport in many areas.

"At no point in this decision making process were we, or any of our colleagues across the political spectrum consulted by Dr Browne. If he had consulted us as public representatives, he would have heard the very clear message that there is no community support for this move.

"Along with colleagues we have requested an urgent meeting with the Permanent Secretary to discuss alternative approaches to this issue that would protect the Lurgan campus. He needs to listen to those elected to represent public opinion in Lurgan.”

A Department of Education spokesperson said: “The Permanent Secretary of the Department, Mark Browne, has approved Development Proposal 574 for Craigavon Senior HS to operate on a single site, 26-34 Lurgan Road, Portadown, with effect from 1 September 2023, or as soon as possible thereafter.

“The evidence submitted during the public consultation on this development proposal demonstrated a consensus that the Lurgan site is not fit for purpose. This decision by the Permanent Secretary will address the shortfalls in educational provision at the Lurgan Campus by ensuring pupils have access to the full curriculum and are educated in a safe educational setting at the Portadown campus.

“This decision has been taken in the best educational interests of children and young people in the Craigavon area.

“The Education Authority will now work together with the school to implement this decision.

“This decision by the Permanent Secretary has been made, in the absence of a Minister, under the provisions of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2022.”