Westmeath's ten smallest schools worried for future

There are fears for the future of at least ten primary schools in Westmeath this week, after the Government announced plans to review the viability of hundreds of two-teacher schools across the country.Teachers and parents involved with the schools are angry over what they see as a lack of official consultation about the pending review, which will consider the implementation of further education cuts outlined in the 2009 An Bord Snip Nua Report.The "Value for Money" review, a Department of Education and Skills spokesperson said, will look at the viability of small primary schools "where the question of closure would arise in the normal course under the current sustainability levels".(For more see this week's Examiner)