Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education in the Republic of Ireland

On 12 March 2020, all schools, colleges and childcare facilities in the Republic of Ireland were shut down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The shutdown resulted in the cancellation of the Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate examinations, as well as all Irish language summer courses in the Gaeltacht.

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Bags of books placed for collection outside an Irish primary school

Initially, some schools around the country were closed and pupils were instructed to self-isolate.[1][2]

Nationwide shutdown

On 12 March, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar—speaking from Washington, D.C. where he was meeting U.S. President Donald Trump—announced the closure of all schools, colleges and childcare facilities across Ireland until at least 29 March.[3] On 1 May, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that all schools would remain closed until September 2020.[4]

On 21 March, State broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) announced that it would begin showing "school" live on the television programme Home School Hub.[5] The broadcasts began on Monday 30 March, aimed at children attending 1st–6th class of primary school (i.e. roughly 6–12 years of age).[6]

On 24 March, Minister for Education Joe McHugh confirmed that schools would not be reopening on 30 March as had been the official deadline until then.[7][8]

On 2 April, the Department of Education deferred the introduction of its "School Inclusion Model" for the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in schools that had been scheduled for September 2020, citing cancellations of meetings due to COVID-19 and the absence of therapists called to assist the Health Service Executive (HSE) in its battle against the pandemic.[9] Also on 2 April, RTÉ announced it would—on weekend mornings—televise those plays of William Shakespeare on the Junior and Leaving Certificate syllabi to cater for English students at secondary school who had been prevented from attending a live theatre performance ahead of their exam.[10]

Headfort School in Kells, County Meath, the country's only private boarding school for children receiving primary education, was forced to shut due to debts worsened by the pandemic.[11][12]

With the virus affecting pupils transitioning from secondary education, a school in County Monaghan held a drive-in ceremony to bid farewell to its departing pupils.[13]

On 17 December, Minister for Education Norma Foley announced that schools would not close early for Christmas—nor will they reopen later than planned after Christmas—as there is no evidence or recommendation from public health authorities to do so.[14][15][16]

Reopening of schools
A principal and vice-principal greet returning students on the first day of school.

On 24 July, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Education Norma Foley announced that all schools would fully reopen in August 2020.[17] A comprehensive plan was brought to Cabinet on Monday 27 July detailing a package of measures and resources, which was subsequently published online.[18]

On 7 August, updated guidelines was published by the Department of Education, which stated that all teachers in both primary and secondary schools and students in secondary school would be required to wear face coverings when a physical distance of two metres could not be maintained.[19]

On 20 August, the Department of Education confirmed that buses for second-level students would run at 50% capacity.[20]

On 24 August, the Health Service Executive, Department of Health and the Department of Education released advice to parents about when students should be kept home from school and when they could attend ahead of the return of schools.[21] The advice lists four scenarios where a child should not be sent to school. They are when a child has a temperature of 38 degrees or more, any other common symptoms of COVID-19 such as a new cough, loss or changed sense of taste or smell, or shortness of breath, been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or been living with someone who is unwell and may have COVID-19.[22]

Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time on 25 August, Minister for Education Norma Foley stated that students who refuse to wear a face covering, other than for medical reasons, would be sent home from secondary schools.[23]

€376 million support package and roadmap

On 27 July, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister for Education Norma Foley and Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion Josepha Madigan announced a €376 million support package and roadmap on how to reopen all schools in Ireland at the end of August which includes additional teachers and special needs assistants, personal protective equipment and stepped-up cleaning regimes.[24][25]

The package of €376 million includes:

  • Plans for an additional 1,080 teaching posts at post-primary level at a cost of €53 million.[26]
  • Additional funding of €84.7 million for schools to employ replacement teaching staff, SNA and administrative staff.[26]
  • Additional funding of €41.2 million to provide primary schools with substitute staff.[26]
  • An additional €52 million for schools to put in place enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools.[26]
  • €4.2 million to enable schools to employ an aide to implement the logistical changes needed in schools – moving furniture, changing classroom layouts, set up hand sanitising stations, signage, etc.[26]
  • €3.8m to provide release time for each school to have a lead worker representative, whose role is to support the school to manage the risk of COVID-19 infections.[26]

School closures and confirmed cases

On the first day of reopening schools in Ireland – 1 September, a primary school class in Dublin was sent home after one pupil tested positive for COVID-19.[27] On 2 September, a second primary school class in Dublin was sent home after a number of pupils tested positive for COVID-19.[28] Also on 2 September, a primary school in County Clare closed for one week after a number of staff members were identified as close contacts of a case of COVID-19.[29] On 3 September, one primary school and one secondary school in County Kerry sent a number of students home after students tested positive for COVID-19.[30]

From 7–20 September, 6 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in two counties—Cork[31][32][33] and Westmeath[34][35]—while several schools around the country closed from October 2020 due to multiple cases of COVID-19, in accordance with the Department of Education and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

On 13 September, a primary school in Rathcormac, County Cork became the third school in County Cork to confirm a case of COVID-19.[36]

On 8 October, a secondary school in Longford announced its closure due to a confirmed case of COVID-19.[37][38]

On 9 October, University College Cork confirmed several cases of COVID-19 amongst students in a UCC-run student accommodation.[39]

On 25 November, all staff and students at a Gaelscoil primary school in Glanmire, County Cork began restricting their movements until 8 December, after 17 cases of COVID-19 was confirmed there, resulting in the closure of the school.[40]

On 11 December, two primary schools in counties Laois and Mayo closed early for the Christmas holidays due to an increase in COVID-19 cases among students.[41][42][43]

On 16 December, all pupils at a primary school in Killorglin, County Kerry began to restrict their movements after 17 people tested positive for COVID-19.[44][45][46]

Mid-term break extension

On 9 October, the Department of Education announced that no decision has been made in relation to extending school closures over the mid-term break by one week, following a report from the Irish Independent stating that the mid-term break for schools is expected to be extended.[47][48][49]

On 11 October, speaking on RTÉ's This Week, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly announced that there will not be an extension to the upcoming school mid-term break at the end of October.[50][51][52]

Christmas break extension

All schools remained closed after the Christmas break until 11 January 2021, following the government's announcement to move the entire country to full Level 5 lockdown restrictions from 30 December until 31 January 2021 at the earliest.[53][54][55]

On 6 January 2021, the Government of Ireland agreed to postpone the reopening of all schools until February 2021 with Leaving Certificate students allowed to attend school for three days a week.[56][57][58] One day after the announcement, the Government was forced to abandon plans for Leaving Certificate students to attend school on three days a week, and instead students will return to homeschooling along with other students until February, after the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) directed its members not to return to in-school teaching.[59][60][61]

On 19 January, the Government was forced to abandon plans to reopen special schools on Thursday 21 January for thousands of children with special educational needs following safety concerns among staff unions.[62][63][64]

On 22 January, speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Chief Clinical Officer of the Health Service Executive (HSE) Colm Henry stated that COVID-19 transmission levels remain too high for schools to reopen in February.[65][66][67]

On 26 January, talks between the Department of Education and unions continued with hopes that schools would be able to reopen on a phased basis between February and March.[68][69][70]

On 1 February, the Department of Education agreed to reopen special schools with 50% capacity on Thursday 11 February and special classes in mainstream schools on Monday 22 February.[71][72][73]

Junior and Leaving Certificate 2020

On 19 March, Minister for Education Joe McHugh announced the cancellation of Leaving and Junior Certificate oral and practical exams, with all students given top marks.[74] On 10 April, McHugh announced the postponement of Leaving Certificate written exams until late July/August, and that Junior Cycle examinations due to take place in June would be replaced by school-based exams and assessments held early in the new school year.[75] On 23 April, McHugh confirmed in the Dáil that Leaving Certificate examinations would begin on 29 July.[76][77] On 29 April, McHugh announced that all third-year Junior Cycle students would receive a certificate of completion and a report on achievement and that the decision to hold school-based exams and assessments early in the new school year was abandoned.[78][79]

On 8 May, McHugh announced the cancellation of the Leaving Certificate examinations.[80] A guide to calculated grades that includes four layers was published online by the Department of Education on 8 May.[81] The calculated grades system was initially rejected by the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland,[82][83] but was later agreed after further clarification was made by McHugh.[84][85]

On 16 July, Minister for Education Norma Foley announced that Leaving Certificate results would be published on 7 September, three weeks later than usual.[86][87] After the announcement, the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland described the way that the time of the Leaving Certificate results being released as 'disappointing'.[88][89] On 26 August, Foley announced that the postponed Leaving Certificate written examinations would begin on Monday 16 November for those who couldn't get calculated grades.[90][91] On 1 September, Foley announced that under 17% of Leaving Certificate grades calculated by schools would be reduced and 4% would be increased.[92][93] On 7 September, over 61,000 students received their Leaving Certificate exam results with grades significantly higher than any other year on record.[94][95][96] On 2 February 2021, over 2,000 students who sat the postponed written Leaving Certificate exams in November 2020 received their results, with over 40% of the grades higher than the calculated grades students had received.[97][98][99]

Grading errors

On 30 September, Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced that two coding errors were identified in the Leaving Certificate calculated grades system.[100] Speaking at a press briefing at the Department of Education, Minister for Education Norma Foley apologised and announced that around 7,200 students were affected, receiving a higher grade than they should have while some students received a lower grade.[101][102][103] On 3 October, following a review of the calculated grades system, the Department of Education confirmed that 6,100 students were affected by the errors and will receive improved grades.[104][105][106] On the same day, Minister for Education Norma Foley announced that a third error was identified.[107][108][109]

Universities

Trinity College Dublin cancelled lectures in March and moved to online delivery.[110]

On 6 April, Galway's University held the first non-physical online graduation ceremonies in its history, after bringing forward the examinations of 190 medical students to send them into service in hospitals with immediate effect.[111] Michael Ryan, the Irish-born Executive Director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme, addressed those graduating from what was also the university where he studied.[112] The university also held another similar online ceremony two days later.[113] University College Cork held its first non-physical online graduation ceremony on 17 April (a date also brought forward for the same reason), with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar addressing them through a video link and asking anyone from overseas to stay in Ireland, because "everyone graduating this year" would be guaranteed an internship as a result of the virus.[114]

In May, researchers at Galway were reported to have developed a smartphone social distancing app which set off a vibrator if people were too close to each other for too long, with it being possible to suspend the vibrator if movement is not possible.[115]

In June, some universities either had (Galway) or were intending to (Dublin) refund rent fees to students (Galway also vowed to reduce the cost of its on-campus accommodation for the following academic year). However, Cork reduced its lease by only three weeks for the following academic year and Dublin's second university gave no comment on its intentions.[116]

On 25 September, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris announced that all higher education institutions had been asked to deliver lectures remotely where possible for the next two weeks.[117][118]

Other

The Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM), which had announced the cancellation of its spring and summer music exams on 12 March, announced on 8 April that it would allow online submissions of home-recorded exam performances in June 2020.[119]

On 20 April, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht announced that all summer Irish language college courses scheduled for the various Gaeltacht regions throughout the country were cancelled, with the counties of Donegal and Galway particularly affected.[120][121][122]

In January 2021, the pandemic forced the annual Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition online for the first time.[123]

See also

References
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