Almost 20% of parents across Ireland don’t want their children to return to school next month, in case they catch Covid-19.
The new survey was carried out by charity Barnados.
The survey almost found that up to 70% of parents with kid in primary schools do not believe they have enough information about the return to school.
And 65% of parents with children in second level, said they felt the same way.
Barnardos chief executive Suzanne Connolly says some parents would prefer to keep their children at home.
“They haven’t been given sufficient information from the schools as to how the schools are going to manage.
“Of particular interest I suppose is to recognise that 16 per cent of primary school parents would actually prefer if their children weren’t going back to school because they are so worried about Covid-19.
“21 per cent of parents with children in secondary school feel the same way. I think that shows the extent of the anxiety that parents are feeling.”
The survey found that the vast majority of parents think it is important for their children to return to school, however 50% of primary and 53% of secondary school parents are worried.
16% of primary and 21 per cent of secondary school parents would actually prefer if their child was not returning to school to reduce their risk of contracting Covid-19.
However, parents do feel it is important for their children return to school for emotional and social development and for their mental health.
The majority of parents felt they had insufficient information about their child’s return to school and what the day would look like with 73 per cent of primary and 65 per cent of secondary school parents.
Most parents also said that balancing work and home-schooling was difficult for them.
There was also a disparity in terms of being able to access online learning.
Around a quarter of both primary and secondary school parents said they did not have ready access to the required technology for their child to learn remotely.
The basic cost of sending a child to school in 2020, while slightly decreasing for parents of primary school children, remains substantial.
The average cost of the basics needed for a senior infants pupil is €330, while a fourth class pupil is €365 and a first year pupil is €735.
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