THE Victorian Government has vowed not to close any small rural schools.
There are now at least 15 schools recorded across the state with fewer than 10 pupils.
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Most are in Gippsland although student numbers in some small communities are falling in Victoria's North East.
Education Minister Martin Dixon has promised to keep the doors of the struggling schools open.
"These schools are vital pieces of the fabric of their small communities," Mr Dixon said.
The Education Department has recorded a fall in the number of students attending small, rural schools in the Loddon-Mallee region.
Loddon-Mallee regional director Ron Lake said the number of schools in the region this year with 10 students or fewer was on the increase.
Mr Dixon said the government would not force or coerce any schools to close. The department may present the schools with "options" for their immediate future but it was up to the schools to decide what to do.
"Being small does not necessarily mean being bad in terms of education," he said.
"They are almost like an extended family ... and you can't beat the pupil-teacher ratio."
Mr Dixon said the decreasing size of some schools was a reflection of the changing nature of some country towns.
"In many cases, the farms are getting larger and people are moving to the larger centres," Mr Dixon said.
The history of closer settlement in Gippsland may be the reason that region had more schools struggling for numbers.
Mr Dixon said the department would advise the schools on the available support and the potential for mergers or closures "if they chose that path".
"There is a lot that technology can do to help keep these schools open."
