THE future of the Collegiate Grammar and Portora Royal Schools now lies in the hands of Education Minister, John O’Dowd following the end of a public consultation this week on a proposal to merge them both by September 2015.

In May 2013 the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) proposed that the two schools would amalgamate on Portora hill by September 2014.

At the time WELB members had agreed to consult the following month on the proposed amalgamation.

But it wasn’t until the beginning of May this year that they agreed to sign off on a development proposal and move to a public Consultation Process.

The month prior, consultation meetings had been held with both affected schools.

Collegiate Grammar School’s heated meeting between WELB officials and parents lasted until 2.30am.

They, along with staff and students past and present, strongly oppose the proposal without more information on how an amalgamation between the two would work going forward.

On the day WELB approved the development proposal, an Action Group campaigning against it launched a visual campaign including wristbands and car stickers with the slogan ‘Save the Collegiate’.

At the end of May, a public meeting was held at the school where former student, Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA, Arlene Foster spoke of her passion to retain it.

On June 17 she took the school’s fight to Stormont, delivering a 7,000 signature-strong petition to the Assembly.

In the same week, speaking exclusively to the Impartial Reporter, First Minister Peter Robinson lent his support to the campaign.

Last week, just days before the consultation came to a close, the Board of Governors at Devenish College sent letters to its parents encouraging them to support the amalgamation proposal.

In a meeting with a delegation from the Collegiate, Mr. O’Dowd said he would not rush his decision on the proposal brought before him by the WELB.