Education Minister Peter Weir: No guarantee new schools’ reopening date won’t be pushed back

The minister made the admission in an interview with the News Letter after he announced the return to in-person learning won’t begin as planned on Monday.

Instead, primary school pupils won’t return to school face-to-face teaching until January 11, while post-primary puils won’t return until “the end of January” with exceptions for those in years 12 to 14 who will return at the same time as primary school pupils.

Childcare settings including those attached to schools, pre-school facilities, nurseries and special schools will be open as usual.

The Stormont education department also confirmed that schools will be asked to accommodate vulnerable children and the children of key workers from the start of term.

Mr Weir made the announcement just hours before MLAs were due to meet in an attempt to force him to defer the return of pupils to schools.

Today, he insisted his decision to move all children – with exceptions in place for the children of key workers, special schools and vulnerable children – to remote learning until January 11 had not come about as a result of political pressure.

Asked whether the January 11 return date could be pushed back further, Mr Weir told the News Letter: “I think the problem is, given where the pandemic is, you can never give 100% assurances. At the moment, nobody can give 100% assurance on anything but certainly that’s the intention. That’s in line with other jurisdictions as well.”

Asked whether the decision to defer reopening had been made in response to political pressure and the recall of the Assembly, Mr Weir said he had come under pressure from people on both sides of the debate. He insisted the decision had been made on the basis of medical and scientific advice.

“Everybody’s entitled to their view, but there isn’t a unified voice saying let’s close things,” he said.

“The balance will shift at times from day to day. What has been the big determinant on this has been contact early this week from the chief medical officer and chief scientific advisor from the Department of Health, highlighting essentially that we’ve got a very deteriorating situation. That’s the key factor.

“There is pressure on both sides and where the balance on those things is can fluctuate from day to day.”

The minister also suggested many people who are entitled to continue to send their children to school – key workers and the parents of children with special educational needs – could choose to not do so.

“There’s a fair chance many will keep their kids at home,” he said. “But it’s important there’s an opportunity for them to come in.”