Dáil debates

Wednesday, 24 June 2020

Reopening of Schools and Summer Provision 2020: Statements

 

2:45 pm

Photo of Thomas ByrneThomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It should be a primary function of the Department to carry out this research fairly urgently. We have had limited research but I know that it is being carried out by some people. The emerging evidence from the UK is that pupils working from home are doing a lot less learning than was previously thought. That is despite the best efforts of all involved: teachers, parents and children themselves. In the UK, they reckon that children have learned for an average of two and a half hours a day. There are limited data already available in Ireland and the play and learning in early years survey indicates that the vast majority of respondents engage in two hours or less of learning per day between the ages of six and ten. We know that in the UK, this is worse for pupils from lower-income areas. My time is nearly up but that is really important.

The July provision scheme has been expanded to include pupils with Down's syndrome and there was legal action last year about that, but not for second level. Some people got the impression from the last time the Minister spoke that this would be approved for second level and it has not.

I had understood that there was a big expansion of July provision this year. I think we had 10,500 participants last year and the Minister now says we have 9,200, together with the additional ones on the health side. Perhaps the Minister could clarify if it is not an expansion, as we were led to believe.

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