Mr. Michael Gillespie:

The Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI, welcomes this opportunity to address the committee today. Our 19,500 members deliver high-quality public education across a wide range of settings, including second level schools and colleges, centres for education, institutes of technology and technological universities. The TUI would like to thank all the principals and deputy principals, teachers, special needs assistants, school secretaries and caretakers, all of whom have worked tirelessly over the past few months to get schools ready to welcome back students.

The closure of school buildings on 12 March and its impact on staff and students have demonstrated beyond doubt that, notwithstanding the significant efforts made to ensure continuity of learning, nothing replaces face-to-face teaching and learning. The schools we left on 12 March have been completely reconfigured and look very different. A TUI survey of more than 120 second level schools, conducted in mid-August, illustrated significant challenges involved in a safe reopening, including difficulties employing contractors to make adjustments to buildings and difficulties recruiting teachers at a time when a two-tier pay system imposed by the Government is still undermining the morale of the profession. The injustice of the two-tier pay system came to the fore again when the Department provided additional supervision to schools and decided to pay teachers differently, depending on their start date, to undertake the exact same work. This damaging discrimination needs to end.

TUI members will not accept any departure from the public health guidelines, including the absolute necessity to maintain a physical distance of not less than 1 m - preferably 2 m - in our schools. Unfortunately, we have had reports in recent days of schools that have not yet put the necessary measures in place. We reiterate that the TUI will not permit non-compliance on this key issue. The entire school community must observe and respect public health advice and do everything possible to minimise the spread of Covid-19. Schools have already made significant adjustments, but they need the ability to ensure compliance with these measures. Therefore, a nationally mandated addendum to a school’s code of behaviour is required. As soft face coverings are a critical safety measure, a policy is needed to prevent the wearing of soft face coverings with slogans or logos that may be offensive in a school community.

While the TUI welcomes the resources put in place by the Department to date, the challenges faced by schools are significant because our education system was chronically underfunded before the current health emergency, with the lowest spend on second level education compared with other OECD countries and the largest class size in Europe. Furthermore, it is necessary that a safe and available school transport system is in place for all students who rely on that service. The TUI will keep the circumstances in each school under review and if more resources are required, we will unapologetically seek them.

Any delay in providing necessary resources puts at unacceptable risk the health and safety of our school communities.

Many teachers do not have school-provided ICT devices. They are uploading licensed software to personal devices. This is unsatisfactory. Teachers also need ICT training, in case the need arises to close a school partially or fully.

Some schools have a significant number of students categorised as very high risk and additional resources will be needed to ensure those students have access to technology to continue their education at home. A major obstacle in this regard is the digital divide, where some students simply do not have access to broadband or the required technology to engage effectively. Failure to address this will exacerbate inequality.

We must not forget that a teacher’s workplace is the school and schools are crowded places. A teacher working in a classroom of 49 sq. m can have up to 24 students with him or her in a class. Some teachers have been categorised by the occupational health provider, OHP, as being at high risk although their own medical advisers have categorised them as being very high risk and working like this creates acute anxiety in the workplace. The TUI made strong representations to the Minister on this matter and confirmation of an appeal process is welcome. Given the rise in the number of young adults being tested for Covid-19, and the fact that many of our students are young adults, the TUI asserts that access to rapid Covid-19 testing for all staff and students is essential to help limit disruption in schools.

We welcome the adjustments to the assessments for State examinations. However, further adjustments to the curriculum or assessments or both may also be required as circumstances unfold. Our students with special educational needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds cannot be forgotten or left behind. Customised interventions and supports may be required to reintegrate them into school. Our members will work to ensure these students are identified early and prioritised. Failure to do so will have a lifelong effect on these students.

The TUI has stated emphatically and repeatedly that we will operate in accordance with the public health advice. We will not put our students, their families, their communities and teachers at risk. Our members have played a critical role in reopening our schools but we now need to tackle the next challenges, which include keeping schools open and making sure no student, for whatever reason, is left behind and that teachers can maintain a worthwhile educational experience for all students. The Department of Education and Skills needs to maintain the intensive ongoing engagement between the various partners to meet these challenges.