No respite for parents until late summer as minister confirms schools will not restart until ‘late August’

Under-pressure parents who are juggling home-schooling with working from home last night lamented news from Education Minister Peter Weir that only some children will return to school in “late August”.
By Philip Bradfield
Published 22nd May 2020, 06:30 BST
Some NI pupils may return to school in late August with a phased return for the remainder, the Education Minister Peter Weir has said. Photo: PacemakerSome NI pupils may return to school in late August with a phased return for the remainder, the Education Minister Peter Weir has said. Photo: Pacemaker
Some NI pupils may return to school in late August with a phased return for the remainder, the Education Minister Peter Weir has said. Photo: Pacemaker

One Co Antrim dad said: “The strain of trying to balance work with parenting has, at times, been close to unbearable. As well as missing out on vital education, kids are being deprived of valuable social contact with their peers.

“We were praying for schools being reopened soon but the latest announcement makes clear that we will be facing many more months of trying to organise education from home.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He was speaking after the Equality Commissioner Geraldine McGahey said that “action now is essential” if the Department of Education is to protect the most vulnerable children from serious damage to their education and life prospects.

A further seven deaths connected to coronavirus were announced yesterday, taking the NI death toll to 501.

PUP deputy leader Dr John Kyle, a GP and an educational campaigner, also called for “an early return to school for children” yesterday, specifically for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

And TUV leader Jim Allister last night added that “little attention is being paid” to the fact that many countries across Europe have already got their children back to school in various stages, citing Denmark, Norway, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Earlier this week, World Health Organisation special envoy on Covid-19, Prof David Nabarro, said he was sure the Republic of Ireland would now be thinking about reopening schools “very soon”.

The Co Antrim dad added: “It is dispiriting because you really do feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.”

Another Co Antrim parent firmly agreed. “Many parents will have been left very disappointed by Peter Weir’s announcement that schools will be undergoing a phased return in September with so-called home-schooling set to continue into the next academic year,” he said.

“As parents of two primary school children, my wife and I had eventually become resigned to schools not returning in June but there is little light at the end of the tunnel now even for September.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Home-schooling by unqualified parents trying to do their own jobs is simply no substitute for children being educated by professionally trained teachers in the classroom and it is naive for anyone to suggest otherwise.”

Dr Kyle called upon the Department of Education and the chief scientific officer to urgently facilitate the return to school of children in receipt of free school meals.

He said: “The risk to children’s health from the coronavirus is extremely low.”

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said it was very aware of the challenges and the potential for some groups of children to fall behind.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A daily survey of schools is in place to monitor school operations at this time, and it is planning to lend up to 24,000 computers to disadvantaged and vulnerable learners moving into key transition years, she said.

Children who will be prioritised are year groups three, six, 11 and 13, and those who are eligible for free school meals, have special educational needs and other vulnerable groups.

“When schools reopen, and children and young people return to learning, the variability in educational progression will need to be taken into account,” she added.

Earlier this month teaching unions wrote to Mr Weir saying that reopening schools before a virus tracing system is in place would be “catastrophic” to infection rates.

A message from the Editor:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor

Related topics:Peter WeirJohn KyleDepartment of EducationJim Allister