Local students quiz Weir over impact of crisis on education
and the Department of Education.” Principal of Kilkeel High School Victor Coert said he simply cannot put any plans in place for the eventual return of his 697 students as he has not received any directive from the EA or department. “Until we are told what is expected of us, we really cannot plan for anything. That’s the difficulty,” he said. “Are we supposed to have a one-way system in school? Are we supposed to have cleaning products? All those sorts of things, we just don’t know what they expect of us.”
He also agreed that the two-metre social distancing rule should be reduced but said nothing can be done without the goahead from the Education Minister.
Meanwhile, principal of Stranmillis Primary School in south Belfast Jackie Wallace added that social distancing requirements must be led by health officials, but it will be “next to impossible” to get young children to stay apart.
“I’m putting together a planned approach for return but the problem is we don’t have the full information or clarity regarding what’s to be expected, what the social distancing measures will be, how many children will be expected to return in the classroom, will there be specific classes returning or will all children be returning, and what will be the proposed date for starting,” he said.
“There’s a lot of questions, a lot of variables, and that makes planning difficult.”
STORMONT Minister Peter Weir has faced a virtual grilling from students across Northern Ireland on the impact of the current Covid-19 crisis on the education sector.
Eight pupils from post-primary schools took part in yesterday’s virtual press conference with the Education Minister.
The students represented Magherafelt High School; Fivemiletown College; Arvalee Special School, Omagh; Banbridge Academy; St Malachy’s College, Belfast; Holy Cross College, Strabane; Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Belfast, and Strangford Integrated College.
When asked about the impact of social distancing on pupils returning to the classroom, Mr Weir said: “It is likely that when we see schools resuming and, assuming we are still in the problems of the pandemic, that that will mean that with social distancing, we will have to limit numbers [in schools].”
The minister was also questioned on issues including examinations, mental health, transport and the timeline for schools reopening after the summer term.
Sarah Bradley, a Year 13 student at Holy Cross, asked the minister if he had made “a hasty decision” in announcing the cancellation of A-level and GSCE exams and if they could have taken place with social distancing measures in place as schools are now empty.
Mr Weir said the decision to cancel exams had been taken based on “strong medical advice” and “to give people as much certainty as possible”.
He added: “From talking to exam experts, the worst thing we could have done would have been to say that there might or might not be exams and then in the run-up to exams to have pulled the plug. I think that would have been devastating for a lot of people. You are talking about 20,000 pupils a year doing exams so it would have been really difficult to do that [with] all elements of social distancing.
“If you look at what we are doing in Northern Ireland, it is very similar to what is happening in other nearby countries.”
Mr Weir added that he believed it would have been “really unfair” for students to have sat exams having been out of school since March.
Speaking afterwards, the minister said: “I have always tried, where possible, to have as much direct engagement with stakeholders in the education sector, and who better to listen to than those actually experiencing it?
“I was highly impressed by both the range and depth of questioning.
“I want to thank the principals who helped make this press conference happen and for their continuing work in coordinating remote learning and preparing for the reopening of schools after the summer term.”
❝ Until we are told what’s expected of us, we really cannot plan for anything