Donegal saw one of the biggest declines in pupils enrolling in primary schools in the country.
The latest figures from the Department of Education shows the change in enrolment figures in mainstream primary school between September 2017 and September 2018.
The Department of Education’s latest bulletin shows the uneven nature of year-on-year change, particularly at primary level, with falling enrolments in six counties or administrative areas, mainly on the western seaboard.
Figures show Donegal had the third highest drop in pupils in the country with 27 less pupils enrolling between September 2017 and September 2018.
Sligo bucked the downward slide west of the Shannon, with an overall rise in pupil numbers running at twice the national figure with 144 additional students attending primary school last year.
However figures in Leitrim remained the same as the year prior.
The picture is somewhat different in the second-level sector, which is now feeling the effects of the baby boom in the first decade of the 21st century.
Post-primary pupil numbers are up right across the north west region.
