Lolland parents fear chaos as schools face closure

Parents are warning of chaos after Lolland Municipality’s proposed savings plan placed two schools at risk of closure, DR reports. The plan aims to cut around 200 million kroner from next year’s budget.

Østofte Landsbyordning and Søllested Landsbyordning are proposed for closure, while two schools in Nakskov could be merged.

Trine Øllegaard has three children at Østofte Landsbyordning. She said she had expected the possibility of closure, but felt sick when it was formally set out in the proposal.

“Now that it is in black and white, I have honestly felt nauseous all day,” she said.

Østofte Landsbyordning is located about half a kilometre from the family’s home. Øllegaard said her older children cycle to school independently, something she believes would not be possible if they had to attend elsewhere.

The family also has a child at a school in another town. With only one car, a school closure would create “complete chaos”, she said.

Esben Nielsen, head of Østofte Landsbyordning, said the closure would be a disaster for the local community. The school has 117 pupils from reception class through sixth grade.

Although it is a small school, Nielsen said it played an important role, particularly for vulnerable children and the local community.

“The small schools can do things that the large schools cannot. We have many vulnerable children and a high degree of inclusion,” he said.

He added that a local school helped sustain rural communities and was important if the municipality wanted to attract families with children.

Lolland Municipality is facing falling population numbers and declining tax revenues, as well as high social spending, high debt per resident and low liquidity. The municipality says this has left a shortfall of more than half a billion kroner in next year’s budget.

Alongside the proposed savings of around 200 million kroner, the municipality hopes to receive a special state grant of about 300 million kroner.

Whether the proposed cuts will be implemented is too early to say, according to Lolland Mayor Marie-Louise Brehm Nielsen of the local list Din Stemme.