Distancing in schools should not be ‘the focus’
SOCIAL distancing should not become ‘a focus’ when schools reopen, the Oireachtas coronavirus committee will hear today.
Seán Ó Foghlú, the secretary general of the Department of Education, will tell politicians that social distancing ‘must be applied in a practical way, recognising that the learning environment cannot be dominated by a potentially counterproductive focus on this issue’.
The committee will hear that ‘the number one priority’ for the Department of Education is to open schools at the start of the new school year and that ‘there is no doubt that the minister, the department, school leaders and staff all want to see schools reopening as normal’.
Mr Ó Foghlú will say that the current recommendations for reopening recognise that different approaches are necessary for children at different ages and stages.
‘There are logistical challenges to manage whether in terms of physical distancing arrangements, school transport or enhancing cleaning and hygiene routines, for example. There are well-being aspects to be identified and provided for students, their families and staff,’ he will say.
The department also has to plan how the coronavirus will affect State exams next year, the Covid committee with be told.
‘There are curricular challenges which are being worked on in conjunction with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. There are also assessment matters to consider in terms of the students undertaking State examinations in 2021 with the State Examinations Commission involved in this aspect,’ Mr Ó Foghlú will the tell the committee. A spokeswoman for the Association of Secondary Schools of Ireland gave a guarded welcome to his comments.
She said that, while teachers want to help students return to school, there are some logistical difficulties to getting students back in the coming academic year.
‘The logistics of measures such as social distancing and new hygiene practices pose significant challenges for second-level schools which house up to 1,500 second-level students, many of whom are young adults, as well as teachers and other school staff,’ she said.