A GROUP of furious campaigners called on Assembly education minister Jane Davidson to resign after she saved one Gwent school from closure months after giving their school the axe.

Campaigners who failed to save Pentwyn Primary School, Abersychan, said Ms Davidson should be replaced with someone "more in tune with the communities of Wales".

Councillors and governors expressed confusion over Ms Davidson's decision to keep the small Ponthir Primary School open but close theirs.

In an open letter, sent to the Argus, campaigners say they are "nonplussed" as to how a "smaller and more costly school" than theirs is allowed to escape the axe. They say the decision is unfair and appears to favour a more affluent area than the deprived Valleys communities.

Community councillor Wayne Tomlinson, one of those who wrote the letter, said: "As far as I can see the situations are exactly the same." He said a proposed development at the nearby British mountain could see hundreds of homes being built.

"The decision to close Pentwyn was just crazy and should be reviewed in the light of Ponthir," he said.

Councillor for Abersychan, Ken Clark, said: "It is time she resigned and we had someone more in tune with the communities of Wales."

Ponthir School was saved last week when Ms Davidson decided the disruption to pupils outweighed any benefits of closing.

Torfaen Local Education Authority said 44% of places would be surplus at the 60-pupil school by 2008 but Ms Davidson said the problem could be addressed by cutting the number of demountable classrooms.

In January, Ms Davidson announced Pentwyn would close after the council estimated there would be 102 surplus places by 2008. She said the move would contribute towards the objective of removing surplus capacity. Since June 2005 pupil numbers have dropped from about 160 to 71.

An Assembly spokeswoman said: "The minister considers each proposal on its individual merits and carefully balances the arguments. No two proposals are the same but the minister applies the principles set out in guidance in all cases."

She said Ms Davidson did not discuss decisions after they had been taken.