Weir hails ‘positive day’ as Years 8-11 return to classroom
SPRING sunshine, school bells sounding to herald a new beginning and at Co Down grammar school Sullivan Upper, the chatter of friends as they caught up on over three months of gossip — it was almost like a re-run of the first day of term.
It may be mid-april rather than September but there was a real sense of a fresh start at the Holywood school as the Education Minister arrived to signal the first full day for all pupils since before Christmas.
Years 8-11 were back with friends and in face-to-face lessons with teachers after months of remote learning.
Peter Weir hailed it as “a very positive day for young people”.
“We’ve had difficult times throughout Northern Ireland, particularly recently,” the minister said.
“This is a good news story. This is vitally important, not just for their educational needs and academic futures, it’s playing a vital role in terms of the mental health and well being of our young people.”
He said he now hopes pupils, parents and teachers have seen the last of lockdown.
“All of us now have a role to play in making that happen,” he said. “Not just in terms of being responsible in the education setting, but in our day to day lives as well.
“In many ways the very oldest in our society and the very youngest have suffered most. We need to do all that we can to give them that extra protection now.
“A range of mitigations have been put in place. We have the lateral flow Covid tests, pupils in primary schools are wearing masks, and we are encouraging parents to show social responsibility as well when dropping off and picking up children.”
Mr Weir also maintained that support would be available for schools who wish to get involved in summer schemes, but added there would be no compulsory programmes for pupils through July and August to assist academic catch-up.
“We have got to remember that everyone has been a lot more prepared for remote learning since January so it’s not as if education stopped during this period,” he said.
“We shouldn’t think there was a blank canvas over the last three months.” With A Level, AS Level and GCSE exams cancelled, the spotlight now falls on teachers to assess pupil grades.
Mr Weir said “robust measurements” have be put in place by exam board CCEA.
But he warned schools that it remained important not to over test pupils now they have returned to classrooms.
“We’re taking every measure that we can in terms of what is in the place of exams to try to make sure they are robust, that they are comparable between students, not only within Northern
Ireland but across different jurisdictions,” he said.
With parents of pupils in P6 seeking clarity over transfer tests, which are planned for November, the DUP minister said he supported the right of schools to use the process.
Several grammar schools have already said they will abandon the process for a second year.
“Schools have a right to use academic selection,” he said. “Without the transfer test then we shut the school gates to a large number of students. There is not a satisfactory alternative to that,” he said.