Coronavirus: NI schools to reopen as normal in first week of January

Schools did not close early ahead of Christmas

NI Education Minister Peter Weir has said all schools and other education settings will reopen in the first week of January.

He said his "main priority has always been to protect our children's education, mental health and wellbeing".

On Thursday, a six-week lockdown was announced for NI.

It will begin on 26 December, with non-essential shops closing after Christmas Eve.

Schools reopened in August having been closed since March and have remained open since with the exception of an extended two-week break for half term.

They did not close early ahead of the Christmas holidays.

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Mr Weir said he was "mindful of the impact the pandemic is having on our children and young people, particularly those who are vulnerable and from disadvantaged backgrounds".

"We have a high number of vulnerable children in Northern Ireland, for many of these pupils school is a safe haven and closing schools will immediately deprive them of this safe space," he added.

"That is why I have decided that it is in the best interests of all pupils for schools to open in the first week of January so that their education is not disrupted any further.

"I want to again thank school leaders, teachers and staff who have done tremendous work, under very difficult circumstances, to keep schools safe.

"I know that they will continue to reinforce departmental guidance, including the appropriate wearing of masks within schools and on school transport."

Mr Weir said he would "consider what further steps can be taken to help and support schools and will continue to seek the views of principals, school staff and pupils on this issue".

Education Minister Peter Weir said he was "mindful of the impact the pandemic is having on our children and young people"

The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) said it would "communicate in strong terms" its members' "frustration" at what it described as a "last minute decision".

It called on Mr Weir to reconsider the decision.

SDLP education spokesman Daniel McCrossan said on Twitter that the move was "totally disgraceful" and was "shameful, reckless and risky".

Sinn Féin education spokeswoman Karen Mullan also described it as "disgraceful".

Earlier, Health Minister Robin Swann said Northern Ireland's new six-week Covid-19 lockdown is essentially a return to March's sustained restrictions.

Hair salons and close-contact services will close. Pubs and restaurants will be restricted to takeaway services.

Tighter measures will be in place for a week from 26 December, with no gatherings allowed between 20:00 GMT and 06:00.

Schools remaining open will be one major diffrence from the spring lockdown.

Mr Swann said the "short, sharp interventions" introduced in October had not worked, so the executive was returning to the level of restrictions which helped curb infection rates earlier in the year.

The reproduction rate - or rate at which the virus spreads - is currently 1 to 1.2, but there are fears it could rise to between 1.4 and 1.8 over Christmas.

'Transfer tests'

Meanwhile, Mr Weir has called for children in Primary 7 to be able to sit the post-primary transfer test in their own primary schools.

The Association for Quality Education (AQE) and the Post-Primary Transfer Consortium (PPTC) are the organisations that run the transfer tests, the Department of Education has no involvement.

Since the 11-plus was abolished in 2008, grammar schools have hosted the tests.

"My department facilitates the transfer of all pupils every year from primary to post primary, whether they choose to participate in the selection process or not," Mr Weir said.

"The tests themselves are organised by private sector providers. I do not have control over them.

"The hosting of selection tests in the pupil's own primary school is clearly my preferred option for this year and in fact every year."

Last month it emerged pupils taking the transfer test may be seated together in class 'bubbles' if social distancing of 2m is not possible.

That was one of the safety measures outlined in draft guidance to schools from the AQE.