FALLING numbers of children and a poor standard of school buildings has lead Western Isles Council to consider the closure of many Primary Schools throughout the island chain.
The number of school age children in the region has plummeted over the last 30 years from 6,300 to only 3,730 in September 2008.
Councillors at a meeting on Tuesday discussed a report into the Future Strategy for Schools and named possible receiving schools in the event of closures.
This left room for speculation over the future of Tong, Tolsta, Sandwickhill, Cross, Bragar, Carloway, Bernera, Balallan, Selibost, Scalpay, Lochmaddy, Eriskay and Eoligarry Primary Schools.
Also included were Aird and Knock Primaries which are already scheduled to close on the completion of the new Point community school and Barvas and Airidhantium which would come together in the new Westside community school.
Members have decided to go to a public consultation exercise, but they heavily emphasised that no school has yet been selected for the chopping block.
The issue is a controversial one, especially considering the public backlash the Council faced over their decision to close seven junior secondary school units. A decision which has not found favour with the Scottish Government, who have today (Thursday) refused permission for the closure of S1/S2 units at Daliburgh and Paible in Uist and Lionel and Shawbost in Lewis .
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