Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Excitement and worry as schools start back again
THERE was a mixture of excitement and trepidation among parents and pupils as schools reopened following lockdown.
P7 pupils as well as sixth formers returned to classrooms across Northern Ireland yesterday, many for the first time since March.
The full school population is set to return next Monday, although some have been open for the children of key workers throughout the pandemic.
Some parents have expressed concern about the safety of children returning to schools, while others have said it is time to send them back.
Stacey Graham said it was “the right thing to do” as her 10-year-old son John returned to Forth River Primary School in North Belfast.
She added: “For parents like myself who work full-time, we have been trying to balance working, having the fun time with the kids and home schooling.
“We are not teachers so no amount of home schooling can replace the learning that takes place in the classroom.
“My daughter Lily, who is going into P4, was actually crying because John got to go to school first. She loves the social aspect of it, seeing her friends and meeting people.
“I think it is really important, especially for people from working-class communities who are already disadvantaged, to get as much education as they can.”
However, Trevor Dempster, a father of five from Bangor, Co Down, tweeted: “As a family, for us coronavirus is a life or death situation.
“My wife, who is 32, has been taking immunosuppressants to treat a long-term illness.
“This week will see our five young children return to school, at a time when new daily cases are rising sharply.
“The issue is not that of children dying but of whom they will pass the virus to and the long-term consequences.”