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Covid-19 is a source of “extreme stress and anxiety” for teachers who have underlying health problems or who live with vulnerable people, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has said.
The union has criticized the Department of Education for its lack of commitment to coronavirus concerns, saying the department has “failed to address vital issues in recent days.”
The union has once again questioned why schools will remain open at Level 5, while businesses and non-essential services will be closed.
Concerns about the definition of “close contacts” have also not been answered, the union said.
Yesterday he revealed that vulnerable students in class with a special needs aide (SNA) who tested positive for Covid-19 were not considered close contacts by the HSE, even though they did not wear masks.
The ANS, at a Cork high school, tested positive two weeks ago, but had been teaching the week before contracting the virus.
In a statement this afternoon, TUI General Secretary Michael Gillespie said: “The pandemic is a source of extreme stress and anxiety for our members, many of whom have serious underlying health problems, or share a home with a person. , or people, with underlying health problems.
“The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases has skyrocketed in recent weeks and, as a result, the potential risk to school staff and students needs to be reassessed.”
Gillespie said a lack of resources was also hampering schools during the pandemic, along with the delays in testing for Covid-19.
“We have been frustrated in our efforts to get the department to address our concerns.
“TUI has already sought detailed clarification as to why it might be safe for schools to remain open at Level 5 if the rest of society is effectively blocked,” Gillsepie said.
“We will insist on consistency, clarity and certainty for our members. We have stated, at all times, that we will be guided by public health advice, but a detailed justification, based on the most up-to-date evidence, is a must.
“Teachers also have concerns about the definition of ‘close contacts’ in schools, and this increases stress and uncertainty.
“Additionally, delays in both testing and receiving test results make the day-to-day running of schools extremely difficult, due to a teacher shortage and lack of substitute teachers in the system,” Gillespie said .
Mr. Gillespie repeated the union’s calls for an audit of all schools to make sure they have the funds needed to meet public health guidelines during the pandemic.
Mr. Gillespie’s statement stated that a lack of funds has compromised the ability of schools to respond to the coronavirus, especially at the second tier.
Mr. Gillespie said: “It is unacceptable that many school buildings were barely fit for purpose before the Covid-19 challenge emerged.
“The sector has been chronically underfunded at the second tier. The latest OECD figures from last month show Ireland’s spending to be the lowest of the 36 countries for which figures are provided, unacceptably far behind the averages. Europeans and the OECD.
“This has made reopening schools under new restrictions an even more difficult task,” he said.
Winter will bring additional challenges for schools, the secretary general said, as outdated heating equipment and ventilation issues have not been addressed.
“Ventilation and heating issues will now become critical as we move towards a colder climate. Many schools, particularly those in older buildings, will require new ventilation solutions and monitors to indicate when the exchange of Once again, the necessary resources must be provided, ”Mr. Gillespie said.
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