A petition opposing the closure of St Columba's Primary School in Newbuildings has been presented to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The petition, which has gathered 6,160 signatures from school users, staff, and the wider community, was submitted by Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson.

Ferguson said the school is central to village life and provides a supportive environment for children. She noted that the petition is supported by school staff, parents, pupils, the Board of Governors, and the local community, and argued that this united voice should not be ignored.

She also pointed to Newbuildings' growing population, citing new housing developments, and warned that closing the school would put an important part of the community's future at risk.

Sinn Féin is calling on the Education Authority and the Department of Education to explore all reasonable alternatives to closure and to allow the school to demonstrate viable and sustainable options before any final decision is made.

Ferguson stated that children deserve the opportunity to learn in their local community and that St Columba's deserves a chance to prove its sustainability.