COVID-19: Face-to-face teaching to continue until Easter for P1-P3
All the latest from today's Executive briefing 👇
Last updated 11th Mar 2021
The Stormont Executive has agreed to keep P1-P3 pupils in the classroom until the Easter holidays.
Primary school children were expected to revert back to remote learning from March 22 to allow years 12-14 to return to face-to-face teaching.
However, today (Thursday) politicians backed the Education Minister’s proposal to scrap this idea and allow student to continue their learning in school until Easter.
Peter Weir also wants all remaining primary school children, P4 to P7s, to go back to school on March 22 and all remaining secondary school children, years 8 to 11, to return after the Easter holidays on April 12.
However, Ministers did not decide on those proposals today, but are due to examine them again on Tuesday when the Executive will formally review the wider lockdown restrictions in place in Northern Ireland.
First Minister, Arlene Foster, spoke at today’s press briefing at The Hill of the O’Neill in Dungannon.
She said: “This is our top priority as we step on the pathway out of restrictions and I’m sure we all felt uplifted by the happy scenes of our returning P1 to P3 pupils this week.
“I’ve heard from so many parents of tears of joy both for the children and the parents as they re-join classmates and they started their little lives again back at school.”
Education Minister, Peter Weir, has also welcomed the decision.
He said: “I know that many schools, parents and other pupils want clarity on when more year groups will be returning.
“I will continue to make the case for all pupils to return as soon as practicably possible and in line with public health advice and scientific evidence.
“It is clear that long periods away from the classroom has a significant impact on the mental health and well-being of our children and young people.
“Remote learning, no matter how well provided and delivered, is no replacement for face-to-face learning and educational experience.
“I am particularly conscious of the disproportionate impact that this has on disadvantaged groups and vulnerable children.''
Standing at the podium today the First and Deputy First Ministers also announced the Finance Minister, Conor Murphy, has allocated £230 million pounds as part of a 12 months rates holiday scheme.
“This builds on the previous rates support package and means that many businesses here will receive 100% rate relief for another 12 months.
It applies to airports, retail, hospitality, leisure, and tourism businesses.
Ms Foster said: “That’s going to allow 100% rates relief for businesses based on a similar module to 2020-2021 for retail, hospitality, leisure entertainment and tourism, airports, manufacturing, newspaper production and childcare settings.
“This builds on the previous rates support package and means that many businesses here will receive 100% rate relief for another 12 months.
“The Executive is extremely mindful of the difficulties being faced by local businesses and our local travel agency businesses who have been hit hard by this pandemic.
“So, next week we plan to open a limited time bound scheme which will provide flat rate payments of £3,500 and £10,000 to eligible businesses.”
Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster has welcomed the rates holiday.
He said: “This is really welcome news at a time when businesses in the hospitality sector are dead on their feet.
“They have either been closed or required to operate under the most severe restrictions of any business sector for nearly a year. The reopening phase, as outlined last week, will take months to get everyone trading again and most likely with restrictions in place.”
READ MORE:
COVID-19: NI Executive to consider full school return by April
COVID-19: NI pupils out of lockdown and back to the classroom
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