Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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508. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the approach she plans to take to ensure that those in fifth year in the 2019/2020 academic year are not disadvantaged by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic; and the adjustments that will be made in terms of the exam or courses and various other matters to compensate for same. [14646/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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 distance 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. The reopening in time for the start of the new school year remains a top priority for my department.

In the context of planning for a return to school which is underway, the Department recently published a report to Government on Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening. This report is available on my Department’s website.

My Department, in consultation with relevant agencies, including the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), identified the following key priorities in supporting students in re-engaging with the curriculum in the new school year:

1. The wellbeing and socialisation of students

2. Assessing where students are in terms of their learning

3. Identifying the additional supports that particular learners may require

4. Exploring options for remote provision that will compliment in-school provision and address curriculum gaps experienced during school closure

It is recognised that schools continue to be best placed to make decisions about how to support and educate all their learners during this period. My Department will continue to collaborate with the NCCA to develop guidance to schools to assist them in their planning for the next school year so as to ensure that curricular priorities are delivered and that teaching and learning is optimal in these circumstances, guided at all times by public health advice.

Students going into sixth year in post primary schools are a group that will receive a particular focus in the context of their preparations for the Leaving Certificate examinations in 2021. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for the operation of the state examinations. My Department will engage with the SEC and the NCCA in the development of fair and robust assessment arrangements in relation to both the Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations for 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.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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509. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that will be taken to ensure ongoing education of students or teachers and teaching staff in the event of a person being immunocompromised and unable to attend school buildings in the normal way or in the instance of students, teachers or teacher staff displaying symptoms. [14647/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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On Wednesday 1 July 2020, I welcomed the publication of interim public health advice for the safe re-opening of schools in late August/ September. This interim health advice sets out the key public health requirements that will be required for a safe full reopening of schools and the measures that will be required to achieve this.

Receipt of the public health advice will underpin ongoing engagements with education partners and stakeholders in terms of planning and providing guidance for schools in relation to logistical, curricular arrangements and wellbeing, including the issues raised by the Deputy. This guidance will also outline the important measures required for infection prevention and control to ensure the return to school is safe for children and staff.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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510. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if steps are being taken to ensure standardisation and the establishment of best practice models for remote learning in the event of a further outbreak of Covid-19; and the additional investment in technology and online access in such an event. [14648/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Schools are best placed to determine how best to support the learning needs of their students based on their own context and circumstances. Central to this is the role of the teacher, as mediator and facilitator, in ensuring the continuity of engagement regardless of the mechanism chosen for that purpose.

During the school closures teachers were provided with guidance to ensure that they continued to work and engage with their pupils to ensure the continuity of schooling in the home environment.

This guidance was developed in consultation with all relevant stakeholders – including teachers, parents and learners. There is ongoing consultation with the management bodies and unions from both sectors on all matters relating to Covid 19 including the reopening of schools for the coming school year. The current pandemic continues to have implications for all and this is likely to impact the operation of schools in the coming school year. Certain situations may give rise to a need for schools to develop alternative approaches to teaching and learning including the adoption of models of remote and blended learning in order to meet the needs of learners. My Department continues to work with all relevant stakeholders to inform further supports and guidance to schools to cater for this evolving situation. This will include relevant resources for schools on best practice models for remote/blended learning approaches and how to be plan contingency and appropriate responses in the event of future closure.

In relation to investment in technology and as part of the implementation of the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment, funding of €210m for ICT Infrastructure will be distributed to schools over the five years of the Strategy. Some €160m of funding has issued to date. This includes €50m issuing earlier this year in the form of a grant payment to all eligible schools and included €10m top-up funding issued to schools to enable them to specifically support any of their students experiencing difficulty in engaging with remote learning. In the context of the current public health crisis the funding can be focussed on assisting schools to address ICT needs including the purchases of digital devices, software, essential learning platforms and other ICT solutions as determined by the needs of the individual school.