Three options are being put forward by the county council

Council officers and governors have held a series of meetings to examine the options.

Dai Rees Jones, chairman of the schools organisation working group, said "common sense" dictated that the present system could not be sustained.

Opponents say changes are unnecessary with standards high in smaller schools.

The number of pupils in the county has dropped since 1998, and that is projected to carry on until 2015.

We are worried that we are being rushed into a situation where we will have to make changes to the way our schools are run Liz Saville Roberts, governor

A group was set up to look at options, including to "cluster" schools together managed by one head teacher, but with separate governing bodies for each school.

Another option would be a federal school with one head teacher and one governing body, and a third would be to close some sites and create one "area" school.

"Common sense tells us that the situation as it is unsustainable," said Mr Rees Jones.

Education standard

"The choice is to react in a positive, experimental way, as we are trying to do, or to do nothing and put a large number of the county's schools at risk," he added.

Governors who have been given the chance to react have been mostly positive, according to the council. But those in some areas, such as the Llŷn peninsula have given it less of a welcome.

"We are worried that we are being rushed into a situation where we will have to make changes to the way our schools are run - how many schools will we have in Llŷn, for instance - without really understanding the effect of these changes on the standard of education," said Liz Saville Roberts.

I'm a councillor in a rural area and I know how important a school is in a community Council leader Richard Parry Hughes

Opponents say they are also worried that changing the system will "weaken" individual schools, making it easier for the council to close them at a later date.

They claim the council has not fully explained the financial implications of any changes.

But Gwynedd Council leader Richard Parry Hughes said "doing nothing" was not an option.

"I'm a councillor in a rural area and I know how important a school is in a community," he said.

"The situation is changing but I still feel the presence of these schools is important in a community, as the heart of that community and a place for people to get together," he added.

Assurances that only a few schools will have to close have not satisfied opponents.

"Why change something which is working so very well as it is?" said Susan Griffith, a governor at Ysgol Tudweiliog, Pwllheli.

The next stage in the process will start in January when the council will look at more detailed plans.