Assembly to be recalled in bid to force Education Minister Peter Weir to keep NI schools shut

The Assembly will be recalled tomorrow after the petition achieved the signatures of at least 30 MLAs, a spokesperson for the SDLP said.

The move comes after criticism of the decision by Mr Weir to press ahead with the re-opening of schools on January 4.

Unions such as Unison and the National Association of Schoolmasters and Women Teachers (NASUWT) had spoken out against the move and called for action to be taken amid fears about the spread of coronavirus.

The SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan, his party’s education spokesperson and a member of the Education Committee at Stormont, said: “I welcome the support of Assembly colleagues for a recall petition and tomorrow, SDLP MLAs will be robustly challenging Minister Weir on his failure to act to provide vital safety assurances, ahead of schools reopening next week.

“With a huge rise in covid-19 levels across our community, the fact that schools across the North are due to return in just days is deeply concerning.”

He continued: “Pupils, parents and teachers are extremely anxious and there has been a lack of clarity and support to reassure them and assist. For weeks now, the SDLP has urged the Minister to provide this support to our school leaders and he has failed to do so.

“It is now essential that the Minister for Education outlines the medical and scientific evidence he has used to dogmatically rule out an extended school holiday.”

“It is unfortunate that the Minister for Education needs to be dragged before the Assembly, instead of taking proactive action. The SDLP will ensure that pupils, parents and teachers have the answers and assurances they need.”

Mr McCrossan added: “People have the right to know if it is safe for pupils and teachers to return to school next week and the SDLP will ensure that the Minister for Education can no longer ignore taking action.”

The Department of Education was asked by the News Letter on Tuesday to outline the current position with regards to the proposed reopening of schools, in light of the lockdown restrictions in place in other areas of society.

A spokesperson for the Department said: “The Education Minister made a statement on the resumption of schools to the Ad Hoc Committee of the Assembly on the 21st December.

“He highlighted the disruption to their education which children and young people had faced over the last year as well as social isolation and the detrimental impact on their mental health. The consequences of which may be felt in their lives for years to come.

“The Minister said he was cognisant of the many young people who have prepared for exams in January, including over 25,000 taking GCSEs, and the need to enable them to sit these exams. This would of course be subject to the need for any exam location and logistics being compliant, without compromise, with public health guidance and regulations.

“He said he must also have regard to the thousands of vulnerable children in Northern Ireland and the effect that whole scale school closures could have on those children in Special Schools with particular learning difficulties and specialist needs.”

The spokesperson continued: “Interventions which reduce face-to-face teaching for students would have the greatest impact on those most socially disadvantaged, widening further gaps within our system. That is why that the Minister decided that schools needed to reopen for face to face teaching for all students at their usual time in January.

“In his statement Peter Weir said that the basis on which schools will return in January will not be on the basis of a return as normal. While there have already been a wide range of protective and measures put in in place, a package of further interventions, which can be introduced swiftly, is being considered urgently including; the extension of the use of face coverings within post primary schools and increasing compliance on face coverings and safety measures on school transport.

“Schools must also be given the time to prepare for any change and dependent upon the public health situation, the Minister proposed that remote learning would need to be brought in for post primaries for the non-exam year students with effect from 25th January, on a temporary basis until the end of half term. This is to allow schools time to prepare and plan for remote learning. In order to protect our most vulnerable students, the aim will be to keep Special Schools open throughout this period, and to provide provision within all schools for vulnerable children.”