School union warns of a looming crisis in rushed reopening
A LEADING teaching union has warned that a “rushed reopening” of schools in Northern Ireland could result in the “next care home crisis”.
Six union leaders yesterday addressed MLAS on Stormont’s education committee ahead of school restarts following the lengthy closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The new school term begins on Monday for P7, Year 12 and Year 14 pupils and for vulnerable children across all year groups.
All other pupils will return to school the following week.
The return to school will be on a full-time basis of five days a week for all pupils, including those who attend special schools.
Revised from previous proposals set out in June, Education Minister Peter Weir’s new guidance was published last week and included “relaxed” social distancing rules and optional face coverings in classrooms.
Justin Mccamphill of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) said it would have been “more cautious and sensible to open schools on a phased basis to see what the impact would be before moving to a full reopening”.
“We’re now seeing the outworkings of a rushed reopening,” he added.
“We have schools putting out measures that they have not consulted with their staff on.
“This will lead, in my view, to what I think is going to be the next care home crisis”.
Mr Mccamphill also noted that the 70-page school restart document contains the phrase ‘where possible’ 21 times.
He added: “I know there are principals out there doing the best they can, but some of them, frankly, have cracked up - they can’t cope.”
National Education Union (NEU) representative Alastair Donaghy said his members are “yet to be convinced that the complete and full-time return for all pupils without adequate social distancing is safe for pupils, school staff and the community circles they mix with and move in outside of school”.
“We’re also concerned there is no plan B should infection rates continue to rise but where localised lockdowns may occur. We believe it would have been sensible for schools to reopen initially with the original 50% plan, and social distancing, to slowly start reopening,” he added.
Earlier this week the Belfast Telegraph heard from Dr Graham Gault, vice-president of the National Association of Head Teachers (NI), who said the guidance was “appalling” and “totally insufficient”.
The Maghaberry Primary School principal told yesterday’s committee meeting that school leaders and staff want to know if minister Weir intends to set up a helpline for parents and principals who are concerned about sending children back to school.
Adding that principals are not qualified to assess medical risk, he said: “We’re asking the minister what immediate and ongoing assistance will be given to principals to ensure that staff and pupils who are extremely clinically vulnerable are kept safe”.
Dr Gault added: “At the moment the truth is that the education, safety, pastoral and child protection needs of all the children is on the principal’s desk. The needs and demands of communities lies on principals’ desks, and so too do the expectations of the parents.
“Principals are left now completely alone. Other than our own staff and our family and our professional trade unions, we’re completely alone. It’s unbelievable.”
Responding Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle, the committee chair, said: “The expectation and responsibility we are putting on principals and staff is unsafe. The extent of the support they are receiving, practically, financially, in the time scales they are being asked to deliver those expectations is disgraceful”.
Robert Wilson from the Association of School and College Leaders told MLAS it was important to “get the right balance” between getting pupils back into the classroom and making sure they are as safe as possible.
Gerry Murphy of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) emphasised that schools