Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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337. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if mechanisms are in place to enable parents to raise concerns regarding indefinite closures due to Covid-19 of private primary school classes; and if there is a State body or third-party organisation with oversight for private primary schools in respect of raising issues regarding prolonged school closures and the closure of individual classes due to Covid-19. [60388/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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All schools are guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures. These measures protect students, their parents and school staff and are very effective when adhered to.

In line with section 14 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, Tusla is required to maintain a register of all children in receipt of education in a place other than a recognised school. The provisions of the Act outline that, where a parent chooses to educate, or have educated, his or her child in a place other than a recognised school he or she shall apply to have the child concerned registered in the register.

Tusla‘s Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service (AEARS) is responsible for the assessment of provision for education for children so registered in accordance with section 14 of the Education Welfare Act. This includes the educational provision provided to children whose parents choose to enrol them at a school which is not a recognised school under the Education Act. Section 14 of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 enables AEARS to assess the education provision at a school which is not a recognised school under the Education Act and once satisfied that the school is providing the required standard, to register children who are students at that school.

Assessments of the provision are subject to ongoing monitoring reviews at the discretion of the AEARS.

In the event that the closure of a non –recognised (private fee-charging primary) school results in the minimum education provision not being delivered, parents of children whose names are on the Section 14 Register as attending the school can contact AEARS on a designated advice line.