Ulster Unionist Party education spokesperson Danny Kinahan MLA has queried the decision of the Education Minister to close Clintyclay PS near Dungannon, rather than allow it to transform from being a Catholic maintained into an integrated primary school.

 Danny Kinahan said;

“Whilst I appreciate that numbers are low at this small rural school, and I understand the rationale for the closure proposal by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS), it does again call into question the policy of the Department of Education and its Sinn Fein Minister with regards to having children from all denominational backgrounds educated together.

 “Over the past few years we have had lots of Ministerial rhetoric about shared education in Northern Ireland.  But this has not been reflected in consistent policy regarding planning schools on the ground.

 “Time and time again, the Minister has approved the amalgamations of small Catholic maintained primary schools, which have been proposed by the CCMS. In this case CCMS have proposed closure, but the school itself has proposed that they transform into an integrated school.  Yet the Minister has turned them down.

 “I am not criticising the CCMS who have to look after their own schools, and who do a very good job in doing so.  What I am questioning is the policy of the Minister who has a statutory obligation to encourage and facilitate integrated education.  I am not aware of any Catholic maintained school that has transformed into an integrated school.  By contrast, I am aware of quite a few state controlled schools that have successfully become officially integrated.  This is clearly an issue of equality.”