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Around 40 schools in Northern Ireland could ‘close or merge’

Around 40 schools across Northern Ireland could be set to close or merge over the next few years.

The Education Authority (EA) plan on making a number of changes to the number and nature of schools.

And as part of their 2017-18 action plan, the Authority has identified around 40 schools which could fall under this umbrella.

The EA’s director of education, John Collings, said Northern Ireland had too many schools, particularly primary schools.

“We must maximise the use of the schools’ estate through sharing and co-operation to ensure that the educational experiences of our young people are the best they can be,” he said.

“This will also help reduce duplication and ensure efficient use of resources.”

Over a third (36%) of primary schools have fewer than 105 pupils, while almost half of post-primary schools have fewer than 500 pupils.

 

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