MORE schools have closed in Ceredigion over the last decade than in any other Welsh county, figures have shown.

A total of 157 schools have been closed across Wales since 2006, with 60 per cent of the closures happening in rural areas, leading to criticism from the Welsh Conservatives that rural areas are being punished as the Welsh Government does not have a dedicated plan for rural education.

But Ceredigion’s education Cabinet member, Cllr Hag Harris, has insisted that, while rising surplus places have led to the council closing schools, the overall strategy had been praised by Estyn as providing excellent future prospects for education.

Of the 157 school closures in the last 10 years, 20 of them were in Ceredigion, the highest amount in Wales, with Powys seeing the second highest amount of closures with 18.

Darren Millar, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Secretary for Education and Children, insisted more support should be provided to rural areas from the Welsh Government.

He said: “Welsh Labour have been letting down rural communities for far too long and their grim record is crystal clear when it comes to school closures."

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