ALL REMAINING SECOND level students will return to in-school learning on 12 April, the Department of Education has confirmed.

A Department spokesperson said it is the intention of both the Government and the Department of Education that all students will return to school from Monday 12 April.

This is the final stage in the phased reopening of all schools which began with the return of younger primary school students and sixth years on 1 March.

Primary school children in third to sixth class, and fifth years in secondary schools, returned to school on 15 March.

The last phase of the reopening will see first to fourth-year students return to in-person learning on 12 April.

It is understood that clusters in schools are being monitored closely by government and no concerns have been flagged as long as case numbers stay below 1,000 to 1,500 per day.

HSE CEO Paul Reid expressed concern over the level of activity outside schools recently but said that transmission of Covid-19 was not high in schools.

“Playdates is very clearly one of the aspects of it coming through or visits between households, that it’s a very significant issue,” he told Morning Ireland