The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) has welcomed a decision by the Minister for Education Mary Hanafin that Seamount College at Kinvara, Co Galway, should remain open until 2012.
Then it will be replaced with a new school to be completed by the beginning of the 2012/2013 school year.
In October 2006 it was announced by the Sisters of Mercy that Seamount College would close. Since then the union and people in Kinvara have been campaigning to keep it open.
The department initially signalled acceptance of the decision by the Sisters to withdraw from the school on a phased basis to 2012, but the Minister reversed that stance last May before the general election and following a six-month campaign by parents and students which made the school's future an issue in the Galway East constituency.
The Minister's decision was subject to agreement by the Sisters to keep the school "fully operational" and to accept first-year students from September last for the following four years. Last July the Sisters agreed to do this. The ASTI had successfully challenged a decision by the Sisters' trustees at the college to dispense with its board of management when announcing closure of the school.
Facing threats of a High Court challenge by the ASTI, the congregation reinstated the board.
"We commend the efforts of teachers, parents, students and others in the community to ensure the retention of a second-level school in their community. Their achievement demonstrates the vital role which schools play in their communities and the high value which communities place on the education of young people," said ASTI general secretary John White.
Mr White added that the key lesson to be learned from Kinvara was that any decision about the future of a school must only be made following wide consultation with the entire school community.
"School boards of management must be organised so as to provide a voice for the whole school community - parents, teachers and trustees. This is the only way to ensure the safeguarding of young peoples' educational interests," he said.
Yesterday Ms Hanafin published a survey for South Galway school provision, to 2012 and beyond. It dealt with the areas of Oranmore/Clarinbridge, Claregalway, Athenry, Gort/Ardrahan, and Kinvara.
Due to population increases in the south Galway area, it was announced that the Department of Education has decided that a new post primary school would be required in the area.
Prior to this the Commission on School Accommodation had conducted a public consultation process on the matter and received 25 submissions from various interests in south Galway. The commission recommended that the Kinvara area should have a co-educational post-primary school for about 800 students.
It requested that the department identify a site and that the school be built to coincide with the closure of Seamount College. Details at www.education.ie