Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 June 2022
18. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education her Department's strategies to support students from Ukraine coming to Ireland; the number of students who have been supported to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34975/22]
View answerI want to thank the Deputy for the opportunity to provide an update on supports for students from Ukraine who have come to Ireland.
First, I want to highlight the excellent work that our schools have done in welcoming so many children and young people from Ukraine into their communities over the last four months.
Our schools have already welcomed a substantial number of children who have arrived from Ukraine. As of 3 June, 6,797 pupils had formally enrolled in schools across all 26 counties.
I have been delighted to witness first-hand the exceptional efforts by all members of our school communities to welcome and support students from Ukraine as I have visited schools across the country in recent months.
Meeting the educational needs of children and young people from Ukraine is a priority for me as Minister and for the Government. We are determined to continue our support for those huge efforts we are seeing from our school communities on the ground.
From the early days of the crisis, we have worked to respond appropriately. This is why, in the early phase, we moved to establish Regional Education and Language Teams (REALTs) across the country to co-ordinate school enrolments for Ukrainian families and assist local schools.
The primary role of REALTs is working to assist families in securing school places, and to support schools in their area to meet the needs of these children as they emerge.
We have also moved to support the wellbeing and psychological needs of students from Ukraine. In line with research on best practice, guidance from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Psychological Society of Ireland, my Department is taking a Psychological First Aid approach to supporting wellbeing in our schools at this time.
NEPS has developed guidance for schools on how best to welcome children and support their wellbeing at this time, and NEPS psychologists are actively engaging with school principals to provide advice and support in this initial stage of welcoming children and young people to our schools.
My Department has also been working to ensure the provision of appropriate language supports, including the allocation of specialist English as an Additional Language (EAL) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) resources.
Figures show that 769 primary and 197 post-primary schools, or 966 schools in total, have applied for and are now receiving EAL teaching resources.
My Department has collaborated with our colleagues and relevant stakeholders to agree the recruitment of additional capacity for ESOL tutors, that is English for Speakers of Other Languages tutors, in every ETB. This capacity will be flexibly deployed into post-primary schools, adult education centres, or wherever intensive English language development classes need to be facilitated for Ukrainian adults and post-primary age children.
