UUP councillor expresses severe concern over WELB schools

UUP Councillor Derek Hussey, has expressed severe concern at the potential for the closure of many Controlled Primary Schools within the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) area if Professor George Bain’s recommendations were ever followed to the letter.
By Kevin Mullan
Published 2nd Nov 2014, 09:25 BST
Derek Hussey, UUP, Strabane CouncilDerek Hussey, UUP, Strabane Council
Derek Hussey, UUP, Strabane Council

He was speaking following a ‘briefing’ to the Stormont Education Committee from Rosemary Watterson, WELB’s Chief Administrative Officer.

Last week the Sentinel reported Mrs Watterson’s warning that if WELB applied Bain’s standard of having a minimum of 105 pupils in every rural school - a measure still accepted by educational planners - it would have to close 100 out of 175 schools.

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Councillor Hussey, a former teacher in Castlederg, said: “I am alarmed at the suggestion that, out of 175 Primary Schools, up to 100 Primary Schools could close if the Bain Standard were enacted within the WELB area.

“I had been a representative for Strabane District Council on the WELB within which I sat on the Controlled Schools Working Group and would have resisted changes or closures of schools solely on a numbers basis.”

But he continued: “Sinn Féin determined that I would no longer represent Strabane District Council on the WELB wherein decisions are presently reached with regard to schools in the Controlled (mainly Protestant) sector and I now challenge Cllr M. McHugh to outline those steps that he has or is taking to protect WELB Controlled Schools in our Strabane District Council area under Primary Schools Area Planning policy being considered within the WELB.”

Councillor Hussey concluded by adding: “As a Councillor now also representing the Derg Area on the new so-called ‘super’ Council, I will be asking that we receive a briefing from the Chief Administrative Officer of the WELB, Rosemary Watterson, wherein she will identify those schools described as ‘at risk’, to the Stormont Education Committee, that lie within the boundaries of our new Derry & Strabane District Council area.

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“These schools could be impacted over the next three to four years and it important that we are aware of what might be ‘in the pipeline’ during our current ‘term of office’.

“The education of our young folk is investment in the future of all of our community and must be supported to the best of our ability.”

Related topics:UUPPrimary SchoolsStrabane District Council