Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
479. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the position of students that live in communal residential centres; if there is to be an outbreak of Covid-19 in that setting; and if there are provisions available to the students for remote learning or other means to lessen the disruption as much as possible to their education. [25437/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department acknowledges that there will be cases where individual pupils or groups of pupils are requested by Public Health HSE to self-isolate or restrict their movements because of a case or cases of COVID-19. Schools should, at a minimum, endeavour to support these pupils to catch up with their learning on their return to school. In some instances, where adapted education provision is already being provided to other pupils in the school, it may be possible for pupils who have to restrict their movements to avail of that adapted provision. In the event of pupils being required to not attend school because of a partial or full school closure, it is crucial that all schools make every effort to support pupils’ learning during the closure period.
The Department of Education has issued guidelines to schools on how to support pupils who are unable to attend school because they are at high risk from Covid-19 . These guidelines on “Continuity of schooling: Supporting primary pupils who are at very high risk to COVID-19” are available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/#additional-guidelines-and-procedures . This guidance also outlines how schools can ensure that pupils who are self-isolating receive appropriate support to engage adequately with learning by means of adapted education provision. This decision should be made at local level by each school in the context of the needs and circumstances of their pupils.
