The Department of Education is advising secondary schools to retain health measures such as mask wearing and social distancing when they re-open in September, the Irish Times reported today.
Other measures which will remain in place in schools include regular hand washing, social distancing and regular cleaning of teaching and learning environments. Health experts have attributed the relatively low coronavirus transmission rates in schools to these public health policies.
The government is set to officially update its re-opening guidance for schools this summer.
However, a department spokeswoman told the Irish Times that it is “not envisaged that there will be any updates that require schools to take action in advance of normal reopening”.
She added that the public health measures have “resulted in some changes to normal school practices and traditions but school communities have demonstrated remarkable resilience and innovation”.
The government will engage with students and parents in advance of the new school year to “inform and remind” them of the public health measures required within secondary schools.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris unveiled the re-opening plan for third level last week.
While the higher education sector is banking on a majority of staff and students being fully vaccinated in time for the new year, the same is unlikely to be possible for secondary school children.
Adults aged 36 are able to register to receive a coronavirus vaccination from today.
In Harris’s plan, the government and higher education institutions committed to introducing measures to allow for the safe re-opening of laboratory teaching and learning, classroom-based teaching and learning, tutorials, smaller lectures and libraries, as well as the operation of sports facilities, bars and clubs and societies in accordance with public health advice.
Larger lectures will also be re-introduced, but these can only occur “within limits linked to reducing the size/capacity of very large lecture halls and adjustments to the timetable to reduce the number of people on site at any one time”.
The gradual resumption of on campus activity over the summer months is also included in the plan, among this is the phased return of research activity.
