Clarity needed on status of school closures and State exams
Labour Party Education spokesperson, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD, seeks collaborative approach to school closures.
Deputy Ó Ríordáin said:
“We all appreciate that it’s impossible to give absolute clarity at this time. But students, parents and teachers need to hear the Minister for Education’s plans for the reopening of schools.
“Media reports that he intends to announce further school closures this week are aggravating an already anxious time for students, particularly those who are facing into their Leaving Certificate exams.
“Above all, they need to know whether the exams will be taking place on June 3rd as planned. And, if the exams are going ahead, second-level teachers need crystal clear information on how much teaching time they will have for the remainder of the school year.
“I have been calling on the Minister to bring together representatives of parents and students, along with the education unions and opposition spokespeople, to hammer out the details with his officials. This type of collaborative approach has worked quite well in other departments and can bring more clarity in a very uncertain situation. For the sake of every student, teacher and parent, the same approach is needed in education.”