MINISTERS HAVE unveiled new Plans to make it more difficult for councils to close rural schools.

A new consultation document issued yesterday would effectively enshrine in law a presumption against closing rural schools.

There are about 1000 schools in rural communities across Scotland, 41% of them primaries and 23% secondaries. Between 1998 and 2006, 71 rural schools closed in Scotland, an average of eight per year.

The average number of pupils in remote rural schools is 53 in primary and 202 in secondary. More...