Tender for supplyof protective equipment for schools

THE Department of Education is shopping for hand sanitisers, disinfectant wipes, disposable aprons, face masks, visors, thermometers and other health and safety equipment for more than 4,000 schools and further and higher education colleges.

It has gone to tender seeking secure supply chains for a minimum six-month period, in preparation for the reopening of the education system in the face of the ongoing Covid-19 threat.

The Government is aiming for a full return by all pupils together, accompanied by a robust infection prevention and control regime to mitigate risk.

Meanwhile, only half of principals currently believe their schools can fully reopen five days a week in September, according to a survey.

Guidance

The department is preparing guidance for schools, but in a straw poll of 400 principals, only 55pc considered full return feasible. The survey was conducted this week during an webinar by law firm Mason Hayes & Curran LLP.

Ian O’Herlihy, head of Education Law at the firm, said there was a lot of concern about the practicalities of full reopening, although he anticipated that when more guidance was issued a much higher proportion of principals would feel enabled to do so.

He said it was “completely understandable to feel overwhelmed by the task that lies ahead” but the key action for schools was to continue planning.

He said among the matters principals could attend to now was working out who would not be in position to return in September and to plan for that, and to arrange for a deep cleaning of the premises rather than waiting until August.

Meanwhile, the deadline for schools to return estimated marks/rankings of Leaving Cert candidates for the calculated grades process that is replacing the June exams has been extended to Monday, to facilitate a small number of schools yet to fully complete the process.