Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021
483. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education the timeline for notifications for schools relating to closures due to Covid-19; the measures that will be taken to ensure that vulnerable children and children with disabilities have access to educational supports; when schools, parents and guardians will receive updates regarding opening times and change of schedules; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1222/21]
View answer495. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education if her Department plans to put in place a remote learning plan for vulnerable students and students with vulnerable household members in view of the increased incidence of Covid-19. [1357/21]
View answer501. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education the arrangements made to ensure all primary and secondary school pupils and particularly all pupils sitting State examinations in 2021 will have access to full-time online tuition by their teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1389/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 483, 495 and 501 together.
School communities have worked incredibly hard to operate safely under Covid-19. The Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools. NPHET remain of the view that schools are low risk environments but recognise there is a need to reduce societal activity and movement to curb the spread of the virus at this time.
The Government decision, taken on 6 January, on foot of public health advice to reduce mobility in the community, was to close schools for the vast majority of students for a period of three weeks. The Government’s decision included prioritising in-person teaching and learning for two specific cohorts; pupils/ students attending special schools and classes and final year Leaving Certificate students. This decision was supported by the public health advice available to Government.
There has been continuous engagement with education partners on this matter since Christmas building on weekly engagement between partners and public health throughout the school year. Despite the confirmation by Public Health that schools remain safe, unfortunately it was not proved possible to get agreement to provide in-person learning for these groups.
In these circumstances there was no alternative but to pause the limited reopening on Monday 11 January and all pupils and students, including children with special needs, will be provided with a programme of remote learning.
As a contingency measure for the possibility of partial or full school closures, in recent months my Department provided to schools a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable schools to mediate the curriculum safely for all pupils/students in a COVID-19 context. Those guidance materials were issued to schools and centres for education as they were published and are available at gov.ie .
It is crucially important that the learning of all pupils/students, especially those with special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage and/or early school leaving, are supported at this time.
Special education teachers (SETs) will continue to engage with the pupils/students on their caseloads and class/subject teachers will differentiate teaching and learning in line with their pupils’/students’ needs to minimise disruption to their learning and progression
Engagements with the Education Partners and the Department of Education continue so that solutions can be found to provide for a limited school reopening for these priority groups and a full return to school for all children at the earliest opportunity.
