Donegal Daily
  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Politics
  • Features
  • Donegal County Council News
Sunday 17°CMonday 16°C

Donegal Daily Donegal Daily

sponsor banner
sponsor banner
  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Politics
  • Features
  • Donegal County Council News
EducationNews

Plans agreed for special education to resume this month

written by Staff Writer February 1, 2021
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

Special schools and special classes in mainstream schools are to reopen on a phased basis this month.

A new agreement has been reached today between the Department of Education and the Fórsa and INTO trade unions.

Special schools will reopen on Thursday 11 February and classes in mainstream schools for pupils with special needs will resume on Monday 22 February.

Class capacity will be reduced to 50% when special schools reopen.

Meanwhile, additional supports have been secured for staff, such as flexible arrangements for staff in high risk health categories to continue working from home, augmented school support teams in all HSE areas to provide advice, contact tracing and bulk fast-track testing and high grade face masks to be provided to any teacher who seeks them.

A statement from INTO this evening said: “The INTO has always insisted that any decision related to our schools, during this pandemic, must be led by definitive up to date public health advice. Clear advice has now been provided by our public health authorities that this limited and partial reopening, along the terms agreed with this union, will not give rise to an increase in school-based or community transmission.

“Following the significant decrease in the 14 day average of infection rates since mid-January and the much lower reproduction rate of the virus NPHET further project that the public health landscape is expected to continue improving and will have improved considerably at the commencement of this interim plan.”

Education Minister Norma Foley said: “I am pleased that we are now in a position to give certainty to children with special education needs and their families on when they can return to school. Learning remotely is particularly hard for these children and I am acutely conscious that the loss of the regular school routine, social interaction with friends, direct face to face access to teachers and special needs assistants as well as therapy interventions have presented a huge challenge and a real risk of regression to the learning, social, emotional development and wellbeing of these pupils.”

 

Plans agreed for special education to resume this month was last modified: February 1st, 2021 by Staff Writer
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint
Staff Writer

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Blaney family celebrates 100 years as Donegal...

12 hours ago

Rory Gallagher Festival gets green light for...

14 hours ago

Buncrana driver with no insurance, tax &...

15 hours ago

Donegal creatives invited to Artlink information evening

16 hours ago

Community fundraiser launched to support family of...

17 hours ago

Calling all Dohertys – O’Dochartaigh Clann Association...

17 hours ago

Letterkenny man said €1,500 of drugs was...

20 hours ago

Buncrana hit with water outages after burst...

20 hours ago

Three Donegal politicans back Oireachtas Heart and...

21 hours ago

Fantastic €10,000 total announced from fundraiser in...

22 hours ago
Advertisement
Advertisement

Donegal County Council

Facebook
Donegal County Council
Advertisement
Advertisement
Donegal Daily Jobs

Read More

  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Sales & Services
  • Obituaries
  • Features
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Council News

Information

  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions

Our Sites

Donegal Woman
Donegal Woman
Donegal Daily

© 2025 Donegal Daily. All rights reserved.
Website by owenod


Back To Top.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.