Northern Ireland to discuss back to school plan

Northern Ireland to discuss back to school plan
# 11 March 2021 18:35 (UTC +04:00)

The Northern Ireland Executive will meet later to discuss when all children should return to school, APA reports citing BBC News.

Education Minister Peter Weir wants all pupils in Northern Ireland back in classrooms by 12 April.

In England all children returned to school on 8 March, while in Scotland and Wales the youngest pupils went back on 15 March.

A paper from Mr Weir recommends that all primary pupils who have not yet returned to school (primaries four to seven) should start on 22 March.

Primary school children are due to resume remote learning on that date, with years 12 to 14 back to school.

Weir has said he wants to scrap the plan for pupils in primaries one to three, who returned to class on Monday, to revert to remote learning.

The minister argued that plan did not make "enormous sense" and that those year groups should be allowed to continue with face-to-face learning.

Department of Health advisers previously warned against a full return of schools like in England, instead recommending a phased approach.

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THE OPERATION IS BEING PERFORMED