Question mark over places for Dunmurry High pupils

A LOCAL MLA says some of the remaining pupils at Dunmurry High School still don’t know where they will be going once the school closes its doors for the final time later this year.

Last November parents and pupils were devastated when the South Eastern and Education Board decided to close the school. Since that announcement many parents have already withdrawn their children with just a small number of pupils remaining.

This week Alderman Jonathan Craig and his DUP colleagues met with the Education Minister John O’Dowd and Mr Craig asked what will happen to the remaining pupils.

He said: “It seems no decision has been made yet. I believe there is no provision for these children and that initially it was thought that they could be moved to East Belfast. In theory this was all well and good but in practice this is not so easy.

“These children are left in limbo and what about the children with special educational needs - what is the provision for them?” asked Mr. Craig.

“There seems to be under provision for special educational needs in the South Eastern and Education Board area.

“This is not acceptable and it should have been planned for. This is a shambles for the Board and speaks volumes about the lack of planning from the department down,” he continued.

A spokesperson for the SEELB said: “The Board would advise that there are a number of places available in schools in the Lisburn and Castlereagh areas.”