A PETITION against the closure of the Department of Education and Children’s nurseries with some 3,600 signatures was presented to Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK outside Tynwald today (Tuesday).
It was presented by mum of four Amy Burns, watched by a handful of mothers along with their children, waving placards and even a copy of this week’s Isle of Man Examiner, with the headline Save Our Nurseries.
The petition, calling for the government to reverse its decision, was launched on Friday.
Amy told Mr Bell: ‘We are actually applauding the education department by doing this, we are not knocking it back.
‘We are saying cut back somewhere else, not on the kids.’
Mr Bell said: ‘There will be pre-school education facilities in September. We are just not sure what shape they will be in at the moment.’
Education and Children Minister Peter Karran MHK has previously said the government hopes to lease out the 11 sites for private and voluntary agencies to run.