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There is no guarantee that the Leaving Cert will proceed in late July or early August, despite the government’s decision to go ahead with the exams, a teachers union told its members.
In a nine-page advisory document, the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has said that there is “no and no” at this stage to be a guarantee that the rescheduled test date will be kept .
“That will completely depend on the advice that the health authorities will give in early June … If the advice is that it is not safe, they will not proceed.” Everything is subject to public health considerations, ”the document states.
He says that health considerations will focus not only on the risk of spread of infection among students, but also on families, school staff, and the community at large.
In addition, the risks related to the transportation and congregation of students before or after the exams must be taken into account.
The union has also clarified advice for members on what level of teacher support they are expected to provide to Leaving Cert students in the coming months.
He says, “It has not been suggested that teachers should continue the current remote provision of tuition until June and July.”
Instead, he says, the school term will end May 29 and Education Minister Joe McHugh has asked everyone at that time to take a two-week break.
“He has requested that a line of contact with schools / teachers be available remotely after these two weeks, not for the purpose of teaching remotely as he does during the school term, but to maintain a bond with the students. of Leaving Certificate and help resolve problems or queries that they may have, “the document says.
Then it is expected that, beginning in mid-July, there will be two weeks of school participation for Leaving Cert seniors.
TUI says it firmly believes that all teachers, when possible, should attend school during time.
It will not be possible for a teacher in a Leaving Cert class of 30 students to have all of those students in one classroom at the same time due to social distancing.
Therefore, the union says, additional teachers will be needed to supervise these students, offer support in areas such as study skills, and / or help them in other ways.
The union says there will be “perfectly valid reasons” why some teachers cannot return to school at that time.
“Of course, we will make representations on behalf of these members to make sure they are accommodated.”
The union also says it has voiced serious concerns about the disconnection of some students, particularly those with poor access to devices or broadband and those for whom the conditions for studying at home are challenging.
“Consideration is being given to how these students can best be kept in contact and how they can be supported,” he said.
TUI also says it has been given a written guarantee that remote teaching and learning will cease when the public health emergency measures end.
The increase in the use of online teaching due to the closure of schools has led to speculation that it could become a permanent feature of how students are taught in the future.
However, TUI has told members that the Department of Education confirmed that the current approach has been introduced on a temporary basis.
“The department has recognized the great work done by teachers to maintain teaching and learning during this unprecedented moment of a national health emergency and has confirmed, in writing, to unions that no precedent will be set,” the newspaper circulated. union document. to the members, he says.
“The department has stated that ‘it is accepted that staff operate such temporary measures without bias and that the department will not use them in any way as a precedent in subsequent labor relations discussions,'” according to the union.
TUI, which has 19,000 members, represents second-level teachers who primarily work in vocational schools, community colleges, and comprehensive schools.
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