UK's Merging of Schools Affects 2,000

The United Kingdom announced plans to close and merge 13 primary schools and 12 nurseries in the city of Glasgow, due to precarious conditions and the unfit state of some of the buildings. The officials who made the announcement also said that, at the moment, building new school structures had been ruled out of the question, because the current economic downturn would not allow for it. If this initiative is granted clearance, some 2,000 children belonging to these institutions could be affected.

Education Ministry representatives also said that another reason for this measure was the fact that the number of children enlisted at some of the schools had been dropping constantly, and that the move would ensure that more money went to fewer schools. Glasgow city counselors are to meet over the next weeks with parents, school staff, and employee unions, to discuss the fate of the schools and the details of the mergers in more detail. They explained that they decided to start the initiative after they did a “city-wide assessment” of the problem.

When it comes to discussing about the mergers, city counselors argue that there are numerous aspects to be considered before doing so. Among the most important ones, they identify building capacity and occupancy, which dictates how many more children a certain school can take in without lowering its standards. Transport arrangements also have to be considered, as the current infrastructure around designated schools needs to be strong enough to handle increased daily traffic.

“Children deserve to be in better accommodation, but in this financial climate we cannot afford to build new schools and nurseries through prudential borrowing. In addition, the Scottish Government refuses to use PPP (Public Private Partnership), and there is no sign of its suggested replacement, the Scottish Futures Trust being able to provide the schools and nurseries we need. In my opinion, our only option is to merge schools and nurseries. We plan to spend £5m improving the receiving schools and nurseries. The young people affected by the mergers will, in future, receive a better education in better accommodation,” Councilor Steven Purcell, the leader of the Glasgow City Council, stated.