Islands' rural secondaries to close in savings drive

Published on Friday 5 September 2008 00:53

ALL Western Isles rural secondary schools will shut in a massive cost-cutting drive, councillors decided last night.

By default, they abolished the island's rural two-year secondary system.

But, to a round of appluase from a crowd of anxious parents, councillors agreed to delay closure for three years – a move they rejected back in April.

The tense and lengthy late-night vote was the culmination of a year-long fight by parents and communities to retain their schools.

Secondary units at Bayble, Lochs and Back secondaries will shut for good in 2011.

However, parents now look to Fiona Hyslop, the education minister, for a lifeline as the ten miles distance to the transfer school for pupils in Daliburgh, Paible, Lionel and Shawbost has to be ratified by the Scottish Government.