Covid-19: Peter Weir to make assembly statement on school plans

Schools did not close early ahead of Christmas

The education minister is to make a statement in the assembly chamber on Monday.

On Friday evening, Peter Weir announced his decision to reopen schools as normal in January.

Teaching unions criticised the plan, but Mr Weir said his decision was taken in line with public health advice and that it would be kept under review.

The chair of Stormont's education committee called on Mr Weir to give an urgent statement on the school plans.

In a statement on Saturday, Chris Lyttle said the minister should tell MLAS the "scientific and medical advice he has received relating to the safety of school restart, transfers tests and other examinations scheduled during the lockdown in January".

A statement to the assembly has been scheduled for Monday afternoon.

Speaking to BBC News NI on Saturday about his decision Mr Weir said: "Obviously the executive keeps everything under review but I wanted to give clarity and certainty to parents, to children, to teachers and other school staff.

"Its clear we need to prioritise education, we looked at every option, but any option which involved closure of schools, on a short term basis, or even certain year groups, would have been very damaging to our children's education."

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

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

Children normally take the test in the grammar school they wish to attend.

The Northern Ireland Teachers' Council said the education minister would know that "it is at best sub-optimal, or close to impossible at this stage, for primary schools to host these assessments".

The council also asked "why the Minister felt the need to draft the letter, put it on the DE website and across social media, at 8.30 pm on the last Friday of term?"

Graham Gault of the National Head Teachers Association criticised Mr Weir's decisions, saying that the announcements come at a bad time with transfer tests looming in the new year.

"When principals will be concentrating on reopening their school and dealing with all what that entails in the middle of this pandemic.

"For the minister to drop this with three weeks to go... it's unrealistic, it's impossible and its absolutely cruel."

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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".

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.

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.

A six-week lockdown will begin in Northern Ireland on 26 December, but schools will remain open.