Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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309. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are dedicated advocates for DEIS schools, students with disabilities and experts in inclusive assessment and education in the advisory group for contingency planning for State examinations 2020; and if not, if he will ensure representation of such advocates. [9506/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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As part of planning for the State examinations, I established an advisory group of stakeholders, including representatives of students, parents, teachers, the management and leadership of schools, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the State Examinations Commission, and officials of my Department, including the National Educational Psychological Service. A representative of the Higher Education Authority also attends all meetings of the Advisory Group as an observer.

One of the terms of reference for the Group  is to minimise, as far as possible, the particular impact that school closures have had on the learning and examination performances of vulnerable groups of students. These include students from disadvantaged backgrounds (including students in homelessness or emergency accommodation, students in refugee/asylum seeker accommodation), students for whom remote learning has not worked well, and students with special educational needs.

Meeting documentation and agreed minutes of meetings are published on my Department’s website.  

I have met separately with representatives of  AsIAm, Inclusion Ireland, Down Syndrome Ireland and the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education, to discuss the impact of school closure on students with special education needs. I also met with the  Ombudsman for Children to discuss a variety of issues, such as continuity of learning for children with special educational needs and supports for  disadvantaged learners.

I am looking at what potential there might be for the running of existing programmes supporting children at greatest risk of educational disadvantage during the summer.  My Department is working closely with the  Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Tusla on this.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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312. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans and provisions being made for those currently in fifth year who have missed out on a large part of their leaving certificate preparation for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9519/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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Following the school closure in March 2020, my Department published a range of guidance to assist schools and teachers in ensuring continuity of teaching and learning for students as well as supporting their wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This guidance aimed, inter alia, to ensure regular engagement of students in lessons, tasks and learning experiences across the range of curriculum subjects, provision of regular assignments and regular, practical, supportive and customised feedback on work submitted. 

Schools adopted various ways to engage with their students in accordance with the technology and broadband resources available in school and at home, including by post, e-mails, communication apps, the school website, use of other digital communicative platforms, including live meetings. Schools were asked to be conscious of pupils who may not have access to online facilities and to adapt approaches so that these pupils continued to have the opportunity to participate in learning.

The aim of these distant learning approaches, the guidance which issued to all schools and the regular engagement with students, was to ensure that students stayed connected with and progressed their learning.  These actions will, therefore, have helped to minimise the impact of school closure. 

In the context of planning for a return to school which is underway, my Department is, inter alia, considering the curriculum, i.e. what needs to be put in place to support ongoing progression for learners and addressing any shortfall that may result from school closures.  Those going into sixth year in post primary schools are a group that will receive a particular focus in the context of preparations for the Leaving Certificate examinations in 2021.

My Department is acutely aware of the challenges faced by students at this difficult time, and how the current circumstances  will continue to present challenges into the future. The welfare of students is, and will continue to be, front and centre in all decision making.