Members of Cymdeithas yr Iaith and campaigners for village schools under threat in Ceredigion came together at Ceredigion Council Headquarters in Aberystwyth to protest against what they call the twin "serial school closers" of ESTYN and Ceredigion LEA. The protest takes place during the week when ESTYN are carrying out an inspection of Ceredigion's education department.
Cymdeithas Education spokesperson Ffred Ffransis is expected to tell
the protesters:
Cymdeithas Education spokesperson Ffred Ffransis is expected to tell
the protesters:
“ESTYN is treating our schools like training factories instead of as community centre and giving children the wrong impression. Their message to the children, clearly, is that their schools and communities are of no worth. ESTYN is even responsible for wasting public money by looking at schools like training factories instead of co-ordinating their community use, developing schools and education in one community resource that could integrate the thousands of people who come to live in Ceredigion. It's time for them to reach out to our communities instead of pressuring councils to close schools and ignore these communities."
Turning to Ceredigion Council, Mr Ffransis accused the Authority of taking pleasure in closing village schools and following the dogma of centralised schools.
Turning to Ceredigion Council, Mr Ffransis accused the Authority of taking pleasure in closing village schools and following the dogma of centralised schools.
He said:
"The Authority has ignored Llanfan's voice even though they have received more letters of support than in any other case. They have opted to move straight to consider closing the school without considering the formal federalisation of a number of local schools. They also want to sacrifice Ysgol Llanddewi Brefi in order to attract money from the Cardiff Bay Government. They are now taking revenge from other schools because there was no support for their pet scheme of one big, central school for Dyffryn Aeron. They want to close Ysgol Dihewyd even though their own report acknowledges that this is the focus of community life, and they want to close Ysgol Trefilan even though the children would be scattered.
"In light of the Census results, it's time for Ceredigion Council to see that village schools are important assets that enliven Welsh rural villages, instead of giving in to bodies like ESTYN that do not have a mandate from our communities."
"The Authority has ignored Llanfan's voice even though they have received more letters of support than in any other case. They have opted to move straight to consider closing the school without considering the formal federalisation of a number of local schools. They also want to sacrifice Ysgol Llanddewi Brefi in order to attract money from the Cardiff Bay Government. They are now taking revenge from other schools because there was no support for their pet scheme of one big, central school for Dyffryn Aeron. They want to close Ysgol Dihewyd even though their own report acknowledges that this is the focus of community life, and they want to close Ysgol Trefilan even though the children would be scattered.
"In light of the Census results, it's time for Ceredigion Council to see that village schools are important assets that enliven Welsh rural villages, instead of giving in to bodies like ESTYN that do not have a mandate from our communities."
Mared Ifan President of Aberystwyth Welsh Students' Union also addressed the parents saying that the students, in their fight to keep Pantycelyn Halls of residence, could identify with Llanfan in their fight over their community.
