Ms Mai Fanning:

The NPCPP is grateful to the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response for the opportunity to make our submission. We have advocated that all partners in the education of our nation's youth must work together to ensure that pupils and students are not negatively affected by the restrictions imposed due to this virus. The mental and physical well-being of our children must continue to be the main focus and concern for parents and educators. Commitment, creative thinking and support for pupils and schools inside and outside the classroom, and the financial investment required, must now be demonstrated and forthcoming to assist our children and students. Flexibility will also be required to ensure that our nation's children are offered the educational supports they need.

The NPCPP is particularly aware of the additional difficulties and challenges experienced by many students who suffer disadvantage due to their geographical location, background or family circumstances, those who require additional learning support and those with special needs. They and their parents need to be assured of the fairness and support they deserve in their pursuit of goals and opportunities to reach their full potential.

Boarding schools also face additional challenges and require guidance and support. The NPCPP emphasises the importance that we and all parents attach to seeing our students return to normality in education as soon as possible. Obviously, that will require stakeholders to continue to accept that unusual circumstances and conditions remain. Flexibility, understanding and a willingness to work together with mutual respect and support will be required from everyone as we progress.

Pupils and students moving from primary to secondary school and those in junior and senior cycle and transition year have already lost three months of classroom and school time in 2020. Those facing State examinations in 2021 have lost crucial midstream classroom learning and interaction time. This will potentially have an even more stressful effect than school closures had on the 2020 exam students. Learning opportunities presented by these enforced changes should be utilised fully to assist towards adjusted methods of education and final assessment.

One of the biggest problems and causes of stress and frustration in 2020 was the lack of clarity due to the unknown and rapidly changing landscape.

We know more about this pandemic now. We are beginning to function with the virus as a part of everyday life and we are aware of the many of the difficulties it brings with it. We must plan early and issue timely communications indicating the procedures and processes to be implemented in order to meet a number of possible scenarios. Doing so will ensure smooth transition and minimal stress for our students, teachers and families.

There is an opportunity - and maybe a necessity - to change the learning or study model as we move into the next academic year and into the future, but school, college and related social and community benefits to our students are as crucial to the education and development of our students as are the academic study aspects of schooling. The NPCPP appreciates that reopening our schools may present some considerable difficulties in education during the pandemic, and it has been demonstrated how vital it is for the State, school and home to work together.

Inevitably, there will be additional costs attached to getting our children back to school and education while the pandemic still looms large over all aspects of life. There must be a commitment on the part of the State to meet those costs. Some key considerations and concerns regarding the reopening of schools include: schools must have sufficient handwashing facilities and availability of hot water, antibacterial washes and hand sanitiser to satisfy hygiene requirements; schools must have induction and ongoing health training for students and staff; there should be a designated, trained, Covid-19 co-ordinator in each school, supported by Covid-19 liaison officers from the Department of Education and Skills, who should be available as and when required; schools must have additional pastoral care, counselling support and professional resources available should problems occur; systems and training should be put in place to facilitate early identification of infection; there must also be adaptability and the supported ability to respond quickly to identified problems or issues in each individual school - this will require input and co-operation from those on the ground and financial and practical assistance and support by the State and the Department of Education and Skills; and confidence in the ability of schools to manage and cope with any future pandemic.

The NPCPP wishes to assure the special committee, and all the partners in education, of its commitment to support the ongoing processes and consultations required to effectively deal with the difficulty presented by this pandemic.