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PRIMARY AND SECONDARY school students are back in classrooms today amid widespread concerns over staff shortages due to Covid-19 infections and close contacts.
With the coronavirus disease highly prevalent in communities, principals of schools across the country have warned that significant numbers of teachers, special needs assistants and non-teaching staff will not be available due to having Covid-19 or being identified as a close contact.
Teachers’ unions also flagged problems; the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) noted that up to 8,000 teachers (around 15%) are expected to be absent today while the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) said between 10-50% of member teachers will not be available due to Covid.
The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has said that the Department of Education must finally step up and match the “phenomenal commitment” of school staff and students in keeping schools open.
It said that the failure to make a decision on the provision of appropriate masks to schools “beggars belief”, adding that delays are putting health and safety in schools at further risk.
Speaking today, TUI General Secretary Michael Gillespie said school communities are returning to “unprecedentedly challenging environments” around the country today.
“It is absolutely critical that the Department steps up and supports the efforts of staff and students to keep schools open. Too often during the pandemic, the Department has failed completely to act in a timely manner. For example, TUI first called for CO2 monitors in November 2020, but these were only provided at the start of the following school year, and even then the rollout was inconsistent and delayed,” he said.
School staff, including principals, are already overburdened by additional Covid-19 related workload and need the Department’s support now more than ever. Health and safety cannot be put at further risk by unnecessary and unfathomable delays in decision-making.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said that a number of measures have been taken to ensure cover is provided for these absences, and also said that due to the prevalence of Covid, some children may be absent too meaning classes could be smaller.
The general chain of command in deciding on how to provide cover is for a school to exhaust all options in finding a substitute, and if that fails to contact the Department of Education. If they cannot reach the Department, they can make a decision and then notify the Department of it as soon as possible.
The various ways substitutes are being sourced
New guidance issued by the Department of Education yesterday afternoon instructed schools to maximise in-person teaching “for as many students as possible” and provide remote learning when classes cannot take place in schools.
The guidance noted that, as a minimum, schools should remain open for children with special educational needs “in all situations”.
Third and fourth year student teachers have also been made available to cover absences between now and the mid-term break in February.
Ar ais ar scoil arís. 10 yr old and a 2 yr old off to school & crèche this morn
— Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (@Donnchadhol) January 6, 2022
Thank you to all school staff, & early years workers, who make it possible.
They are the ones who do everything they can to support & protect our children
Govt must do so much more to protect them pic.twitter.com/roOjEEGDeZ
In a statement to The Journal, the Department of Education outlined the two different approaches to providing cover for absences in primary schools and secondary schools.
In secondary schools, a temporary arrangement is in place to allow all post-primary teachers, including principal teachers and deputy principal teachers, to work more than 22 hours per week to provide substitution cover.
The Department spokesperson said where “every effort” has been made by a school to provide substitution cover without success, schools are advised to contact the Department of Education by email and “an inspector will provide further support”.
“If operational challenges occur due to staff absences schools are expected to maximise on-site education for State examination year groups and fifth year classes,” the spokesperson said.
For primary schools, the advice is for covering absences is to check:
“It is also recognised that there may be a substantial number of children absent due to Covid-19 or as a result of being a close contact in household situations and therefore class numbers may be smaller,” the Department spokesperson added.
‘Significant challenge for schools’
A survey carried out by the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) this week found that 40% of schools had concerns about having adequate staff available to cover every classroom.
Pairic Clerkin of the IPPN said staffing will be a significant challenge in schools for the coming weeks.
“In a school situation, you have to have a teacher for every class. That’s the bottom line. Trying to make that happen will be the challenge for schools, principals, for everyone in the system,” Clerkin said.
That’s why we really do appreciate the support of the colleges in making their student teachers available to support us for the next couple of months. That’s really helpful.
The IPPN chief executive added that the student teachers have gained experience teaching in classrooms over the course of two years and are well placed to support the education system in the “crisis situation”.
Education Minister Norma Foley said yesterday that she would not be seeking a derogation to exempt teachers from restricted movements rules for close contacts.
Despite Ireland’s high Covid case numbers, public health chiefs gave assurances to school management and unions that it was safe to return to the classroom ahead of today’s reopening.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin yesterday defended the government’s decision to open schools as planned today, saying that they were putting the child’s needs first.
Martin said that “children do best when at school” and that this was the motivation behind the decision to proceed with the reopening of education.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is meeting today to discuss the current Covid-19 situation in Ireland.
Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath said following a Cabinet meeting yesterday that the public health advisers are not expected to recommend any fresh restrictions.
With reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha.
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If the teachers who caught Covid while mingling over the holidays had no issues mixing with the public over Christmas then they should have no issues mingling with the kids when they get back to work.
@Football in the Groin: what? How many times did you get hit by that football? It seems to have somehow damaged the anti-gibberish filter in your brain.
@Football in the Groin: childish comment.
@Football in the Groin: dead right…teaches out clubbing all over hristmas on taxpayers money catching covid at our expense
@Great White Hope: That’s the shot GWH…you tell’ em!!
@Football in the Groin: How was your mingling, did you mingle at home or with others . Believe me teachers much prefer being in the classroom rather than 24 hour home schooling. So let’s hope your mingling with others haven’t effected the kids who carry the desease in a classroom of 30 , with only ventilation being opened windows. Also hope your mingling doesn’t effect the pod , which is sitting right in front of the teacher less than two meters , but FOCK the teacher isn’t considered a close contact. So mingle back under Normas dress like a good little BOT.
@Mac Muinteoir: the unknow soldier continues his trolling.
And while us in Retail just get on with it and those in Health Care are legends..
Teachers gripe about everything any chance they get and seriously take the pxss ..
Staff in the health and Retail are dropping like flies yet we don’t get a mention in the journal nor the news Headlines
@James Johnson: what’s your point? If you have issues then voice them with your employer. Are you in a freezing room with 28 kids, unmasked, no screen or barrier. Plenty of shops and restaurants have closed around me because of Covid. Now, plenty of classes will close because of Covid.
@James Johnson: it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. I can show you what it’s like if you want? OK, you say something like “Given that lack of simple and obvious mitigations in the retail setting, there’s a risk that so many staff will get covid that some stores may have to close.” Then I’ll reply with “I’m sick to the teeth of retail workers whinging and looking for special treatment. If nurses can get on with their job of licking the covid directly out of patients lungs, and we don’t hear them complaining, why can’t retail workers do the same? If they don’t want to work, put them on the PUP.” I mean, it’s not perfect, but you get the idea.
@James Johnson: join a union , get a voice. Stand up for yourself . Don’t spend your time moaning on social media
@James Johnson: if you’re happy with your conditions, good for you. Don’t slate another profession because they seek better conditions. Workers should be uniting and looking for better conditions, not going against each other, we’re all working together in this.
@2thFairy: my company have actually been amazing and paid us a 10% hor working and personally no issue. My point is the teachers are constantly moaning and always looking for something.
If they Don’t want to go to work go sick and let the children be educated ..
I’m not painting all teachers with this brush but there are a lot of moaners. What about the nurses no pay for students etc that is an issue.. we need to live with this now or just give up and stay at home..
@Conor Flood: I did not moan my company has actually looked after us and beyond .. with a 10% increase my point is the teachers are constantly giving out re anything they can think off
@James Johnson: stop moaning wouldja?
Ridiculous that schools return fully today with the amount of people with covid. Plenty said about teachers but spare a thought for our doctors, nurses and hospital staff. They have to deal with the severe repercussions of government decision to let covid run wild.
@Mogh Roith: while I get your point, this variant isn’t causing anywhere near the admissions as previous variants. It seems that the view taken was that having kids out of school would be more damaging than higher case rates.
@Mogh Roith: not for one second do I believe that our doctors, nurses and hospital staff are very far from our thoughts.
@Colm O’ Shea: have you not seen the rate of admissions in hospitals. Coupled with the fact that they also have a high rate of staff out with Covid.
@Mogh Roith: no other sector of society is closed. Its the only one downing tools. Wanted to close early before xmas now wants to delay reopening. Will they cover the lost days into summer? Will they fcuk!
@James Gorman: You tell ‘em James!!
@James Gorman: calm down. They are people trying to stay safe and keep children and communities safe. No different to anyone else just different circumstances.
@Colm O’ Shea: however it will lead to higher admissions because more people will get Omicron over Delta.
Look enough fighting amongst ourselves, if the policy is let it rip which it obviously is, no more working from home for anyone, bring the Dáil back now, no more zoom meetings for ministers, throw the nurses, teachers, shop workers , transport people etc….under the bus, everyone should be under the same bus…..parity….then no one can fight.
@Yvonne Lavelle: fact.
We got an email at 5 o clock yesterday from my kids secondary school saying that all 1st, 2nd and TY years should remain at home and await further notice about returning.
@Stuart Lawn: What? That seems to undermine the national directive given and is unfair. Sorry to hear that.
@Seeking Truth: Sure didn’t Norma herself say that it would be the inspectorate and Department of Education themselves making decisions to shut down classes. Sorry to disappoint but you can’t blame teachers and schools for this one
@Seeking Truth: Sure didn’t Norma herself say that it would be the inspectorate and Department of Education themselves making decisions to shut down classes. Sorry to disappoint but you can’t blame teachers and schools for this one
@Seeking Truth: if there’s no staff to supervise then do you want to let the kids to sit in the class by them selves all day ? I remember the carnage in my class when the teacher would leave and go for a 5 minute smoke…(maybe it was a kells thing ) I guess we could insist on the teachers coming into school and turn them into super spreaders… then the kids would have to stay home anyway ways ….
@Seeking Truth: so what do you suggest? If there’s no teaching staff to send them in anyway..? This was the writing on the wall. Norma was told there would be high numbers of school staff out and not enough subs.
This years leading cert students have not had it easy… 5th year they missed a lot of in schooling and now this for them. Predictive grade option again?
@Austin Shields: you are 100% correct I feel so sorry for those students and last years also no social life
@James Johnson: they’ll be grand. This generation have never been so well connected. It’s far from ideal or what we want for them but in generations past young adults and children had much worse experiences to endure.
@Austin Shields: Probably going to be exam / predictive grade, like last years. I actually think it’s a decent option for the kids to decide, think you’re going to be happy with the grade you get in school from teacher? Why sit the exam when you can focus on another subject that needs attention?
Where is the handy ‘Do you think schools are safe’ Journal.ie poll to parents and teachers?
they be grand
Lovely day for open windows.
I’m a teacher and I think it’s ridiculous that we seem to get a bigger voice than every other worker in Ireland. Other sectors just get on with it. You should hear some teachers in the staff room today.
All I’ve wanted from the start of all this is that people at a levels apply a bit of cop on and common sense.
From the start the reason for all the emergency measures was to protect the Health Service.
Despite a huge increase in daily infected numbers, which by all reports are only half the actual number, the numbers in ICU have remained stable as Omicron appeares to be a much milder variant.
Given that it doesn’t seem that the HSE is going to be under anymore treat from Omicron than the flu or any other seasonal respiratory infection it would seem sensible to not apply the same rigerious measures to this wave as were applied to all the others.
I think we’ve reached a difficult point in the pandemic where individuals, institutions and governments will have to change their methods and thinking to reflect the change in the disease.
Unfortunately our government and institutions haven’t shown themselves to be very mobile or agile during the course of this pandemic.
The fact that so many are affected by this disease is directly due to the government’s complete failure to follow public health guidelines and adopt the stringent measures to protect people. This is a ‘let it rip sure we’re vaccinated’ response that ignores the pressures on public services and deaths. No guts for a lockdown .
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