Déardaoin 12 Márta 2020
Teachtaireacht ón Roinn
Message from The Department of Education & Skills
STATEMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SKLLS
An announcement was made this morning by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD of the closure of schools, pre-schools and further and higher education settings, for a period until 29 March 2020, to support efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19. This will take effect from 6pm this evening, Thursday 12 March.This is in line with the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team.
All pupils and students, from pre-school to third level are urged to practice social distancing, and to minimise physical contact with each other, to help avoid the spread of Covid-19. This should include minimising social contact, avoiding meeting up and keeping physical space between them. Parents and guardians are urged to support their children to maintain this approach.
In order to minimise the impact on teaching and learning, all schools will be asked to continue to plan lessons and, where possible, provide online resources for students or online lessons where schools are equipped to do so. Schools are asked to be conscious of students that may not have access to online facilities and to consider this actively in their response.
Schools are asked to prioritise supporting exam classes to continue to prepare for State examinations.
Physical classes in universities and higher education facilities will not be held during the closure. Institutions can make other arrangements for teaching and learning and other activities in line with their business continuity plans and contingency planning.
Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD said:
“I am deeply conscious of the impact that school and education setting closures have on students, on families and on the wider community. This is a necessary and proportionate measure that we are taking as a pro-active measure to help contain the threat of Covid-19.
“This is the right decision at the right time. It is taken in the best interests of our children, our young people, our school and college communities and our wider society.
“At this point in time the closure is planned for two weeks, from tomorrow until 29 March. The Government, in conjunction with the public health authorities, will keep the situation under ongoing review. Any change to that date will be communicated widely.
“Pupils should take their books and learning materials home with them this evening.
“This is a very challenging time for our pupils, our teachers, our students and our colleagues in further and higher education.
“Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine – we all live in one another’s shadow. If there was ever a time for us to appreciate how closely we are connected, how much what we do matters to others, how much we rely on each other, this is it. This is a time where we all need to work together for the best possible outcome for our students. The support of everyone across the sector is vital, as we all strive to ensure that this threat is dealt with as effectively as possible.”
The Department of Education and Skills will remain open and will continue to provide supports to the education sector at this time.
The Department of Education and Skills has been liaising closely on a continual basis with the Department of Health in relation to Coronavirus/Covid-19 since early January. This will continue.
ENDS
An Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna
Department of Education and Skills
Sráid Maoilbhríde, Baile Átha Cliath, D01 RC96.
Marlborough Street, Dublin, D01 RC96.
Táimid ag leanúint orainn ag glacadh le moltaí agus treoir ón Roinn Oideachais & Scileanna agus Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte. Táimid ag cur i gcuimhne do na páistí a lámha a ní go rialta agus conas casacht srl i gceart. Tá glanadh breise ag tarlúint sa scoil go laethúil. Tá frídíní eile sa scoil- tinneas goile, deilgneach srl. Má mhothaíonn tú go bhfuil do pháiste tinn ar maidin, ná seol isteach chun na scoile iad le bhur dtoil.
Tá an litir is déanaí ón bPríomhoifigeach Míochaine do scoileanna maidir leis an Víreas ceangailte (Gaeilge & Béarla). Cuirfimid i gcuimhne daoibh sonraí teagmhála a uasdátú leis an oifig má tá siad athruithe ó thús na bliana.
We continue to accept and follow recommendations and advice coming from the Department of Education & Skills and The HSE. We are reminding the children to wash hands well regularly and how to cough etc properly and safely. There is extra daily cleaning happening in the school. We have other germs in the school- a nasty tummy bug, chickenpox etc. If you feel your child is ill any morning, please do not send him/her to school.
The latest letter for schools re the Virus from the Chief Medical Officer is attached. Don't forget to update your contact details with the office if they have changed from the beginning of the year.
CMO letter to schools GA.pdf
CMO letter to schools.pdf
Ba mhaith linn bhur n-aird a dhíriú ar threoir uasdátaithe tagtha ón Roinn maidir le bheith ag labhairt le daoine óga agus páístí faoi Covid-19
Is féidir teacht ar an treoir seo agus é a íoslódáil ó shuíomh ghreasáin an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna faoin gceannteideal ‘Talking to children and young people about Covid-19’.
We would like to direct your attention to updated guidance on talking to children and young people about Covid-19.
You can access and download this guidance in both Irish and English from the Department of Education and Skills website below under the heading ‘Talking to children and young people about Covid-19’.
www.education.ie/covid19
Ba mhaith linn bhur n-aird a dhíriú ar agallamh atá oiriúnach do pháístí a rinne an Dr Ronan Glynn le clár RTÉ new2day an seachtain seo chaite. D'fhéadfadh sé mheith mar acmhainn úsáídeach ag labhairt faoi Covid-19 le páistí agus daoine óga.
We would also like to direct your attention to a child-friendly interview that Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn did with RTÉ’s new2day programme last week, that may also be a useful resource when talking about Covid-19 with children and students.
https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0306/1120692-news2day-coronavirus/