BRING IN RETIRED TEACHERS
■ School reopening ‘impossible’ unless substitutes are recruited ■ Principals’ roadmap for return
HUNDREDS of teachers may be called on to come out of retirement to meet the ‘huge demand’ for substitutes needed once pupils return to school. Teachers’ unions and principals say a full reopening of schools will be impossible unless panels of substitute teachers are hired.
A Dáil Covid Committee will also hear today that it’s ‘critical’ that schools are given additional staff in order to manage reopening.
Páiric Clerkin, CEO of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network, will tell Dáil deputies that substitute cover is a must for schools to manage during the reopening phase.
This is due to the fact that many large classes will have to be split into two to allow for correct social distancing, thus requiring an extra
THE Taoiseach has said children’s development will be impaired if they cannot return to school in September.
Micheál Martin said his primary focus now is dealing with Covid-19, and ensuring the schools can reopen fully and safely next month.
‘To me, the two immediate priorities on the Covid side are to get our schools safely open and get as many schools fully open as possible, and that will take up a lot of effort over the next number of weeks,’ the Fianna Fáil leader told The Opinion Line on Cork’s 96FM.
Prolonged absence from education may result in children never reaching their potential in life, he said.
‘We have to get children back to school at the end of August. I am of the view that we limit the life chances of children, if they’re out of school for far too long,’ the former teacher said. ‘The Tánaiste [Leo Varadkar], Eamon Ryan and others are all very committed to this issue and to getting to schools open, both at primary and at secondary level – other countries are doing it across Europe.’
Mr Martin made it clear that he is going to be working personally with the new Education Minister, first-time TD Norma Foley, in reopening the country’s schools.
‘We will work with all concerned. We can get this resolved. I’m going to spend a lot of time on this over the next number of weeks with the Minister of Education,’ he told RedFM yesterday. ‘My view is that this is about the development of the child, that comes first, and child development will be impaired if they are not back at school.
‘We also would be of a view that children with special needs and children who are in a disadvantaged background, for example, and wouldn’t have access to technology, need to be back in school.’
Meanwhile, the extension of maternity leave for new parents affected by the Covid-19 crisis will be considered by the Government later this week.
Women who were on maternity leave during the Covid-19 crisis say they did not have access to the usual supports, and are calling for a one-off extension to maternity leave and pay. A petition for this special extension had a total of 28,820 signatures last night.
The Taoiseach said yesterday that extending the maternity leave of new parents may require new legislation. He said it was going to be considered this week at the Cabinet Subcommittee on Economic Recovery and Jobs.
‘I know Minister [for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael] McGrath and the Minister for Finance [Paschal Donohoe] will be bringing recommendations in relation to that to it. But I can’t say right now that there has been a definitive decision on that,’ said Mr Martin. ‘It may very well need legislation. It is being examined, and obviously the Government is in one week, but we will see what we can do in relation to that.’
Calling for the extension yesterday, the National Women’s Council said that in some cases, women gave birth without a partner or loved one present, and faced into motherhood without family or professional support.
It said: ‘Babies have missed developmental checks, vital scans, hospital appointments and even vaccinations have been cancelled or delayed. There is a real urgency to this situation, as many of the women impacted are due back at work in the next week or two. Many may be forced to resign from their jobs due to the lack of childcare available for this age group.’
‘We will work with all concerned’