Ruane draft plan 'strange timing'

By Maggie Taggart
BBC Northern Ireland education correspondent

The education minister has published the final draft of a plan to ensure schools are viable and effective.

It was revealed ahead of an Assembly debate on keeping rural schools open.

The motion calls for rural school closures to be halted until after a "Sustainable Schools" policy is agreed and implemented.

Caitríona Ruane revealed the document's final draft on Monday, something which the sponsors of the debate described as "very strange timing".

They say it looks like an attempt to pre-empt discussion.

An early draft of the policy was published for consultation in July and, like this one, contained six criteria on which to decide if a school should stay open.

Ms Ruane said: "These cover the strength of links to the community, educational experience of children, enrolment trends, school leadership and management, accessibility and financial position.

"Schools will be reviewed against these criteria on a case-by-case basis to ensure all relevant facts, including local circumstances, are considered in the best interests of the education of our children and young people."

As in the Bain report of 2006, it sets minimum numbers of pupils at primary and secondary schools, both rural and urban.

Ms Ruane insisted it was "not an agenda to close small schools".

However, alarm bells are likely to ring if a school fails to meet a number of the criteria.