Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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760. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the process and requirements a place of education and training must undergo to be allowed open during level 5 restrictions in order to commence and complete practical based courses. [17255/21]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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Continuity for the most part of further and higher education and research has been maintained throughout the pandemic. In the early phase when on-site activities were suddenly suspended this was achieved through a rapid shift to emergency remote learning. Over time a blended model of learning has become the dominant mode with varying levels of onsite and online delivery aligned to public health advice and to the needs of different disciplines and different learner cohorts.

The Level 5 measures designate higher and further education as essential insofar as onsite presence is required for education activities that cannot be held remotely. In January 2021, the sector rapidly adjusted again by moving the vast majority of their provision online.

COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 - The Path Ahead (published February 23rd) has not changed the status of Level 5 measures for adult and further and higher education. Using COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 - The Path Ahead and the Level 5 measures as a guide, higher and further education remains primarily online. Institutions and providers continue to carefully balance necessary onsite activities with prevailing public health advice, accepting that levels of time critical activity will fluctuate as the academic year and programmes progress.

Issues for the sector remain due to the timing, duration and intensity of COVID 19 restrictions and are leading to some gaps in time critical aspects of programmes such as work placement, work based learning and practical skills essential for successful programme learning outcomes. The window to return to onsite delivery is narrowing for the current academic year.

There has been a risk of growing gaps in learning outcomes and therefore non-completion due to a lack of access to onsite learning and experience. The effects presented for a wide range of disciplines and were especially acute for some specific programmes and disciplines such as apprenticeship, healthcare, social care, teaching and STEM subjects.

Recently there have been significant developments in securing marginal increases in on site time critical activity to address key learning requirements at this stage of the academic year, whilst remaining in line with public health advice and the Roadmap, with the vast majority of provision staying online. Sectoral stakeholder engagement fora have worked responsively to develop flexible approaches for learners to complete their programmes, including the achievement of practical and time critical learning outcomes onsite.

As a result of the mitigating actions that have been deployed, in recent weeks the sectors have become more confident that they will be able to achieve all programme learning outcomes this year. Graduating years remain their priority and so for non-graduating years it may be necessary to carry forward some learning outcomes to other years.