Plan to reopen schools the culmination of a hard-nosed policy

A little over 40 years ago in 1979 then minister for health Charles J Haughey introduced an insipid policy on making contraception more available. It was designed not to offend the conservative forces then dominant in Irish society.

“An Irish solution to an Irish problem,” is how Haughey grandiosely described the scheme.

The phrase became synonymous after that with half-baked fudges that were presented as policy initiatives.

And there have been one or two Irish solutions that have emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic, not least the confused and contradictory travel ‘green list’ of safe places published last week.

Reopening schools: €375m plan will see more than 1,000 extra post-primary teachers

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But the plan to reopen schools at the end of August can’t be lumped in as one of them.

The announcement on Monday evening of a full reopening of schools (albeit on a phased basis) represented the culmination of a hard-nosed policy decision that was taken as far back as April, at a time when the country was in full lockdown. In contrast to other policy decisions in which the politicians genuflected completely to the scientific advice, there was a determination to reopen schools by autumn even if it went against the grain of that advice.

Then taoiseach Leo Varadkar made it an absolute priority, as did then education minister Joe McHugh. When the new government came into being at the end of June so did Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Education Norma Foley.

Varadkar, in particular, shipped criticism for being so certain at a time of huge uncertainty. But the logic was clear. There were competing imperatives here. Depriving children and teenagers of formal education over a prolonged period of time could have hugely detrimental impacts on their development, intellectual, mental and accumulating social skills. That problem was magnified for children with special needs, or in disadvantaged situations without adequate family support. They would struggle badly without the structure or routine of formal education. There was also knock-on effects for parents who would be compelled to continue trying to juggle work and home schooling.

Even with a virus that continued to be present, any effort to return society to a semblance of normality required the return of schools almost as a prerequisite.

“There is simply no substitute for students learning in school in the presences of teachers and their peers,” said the Taoiseach yesterday.

Foley had her best moment as Minister on Monday after a shaky July. In a composed presentation she even quoted Yeats’s Among School Children making the point that school was more than a place where “children learn to cipher and to sing”.

Rather, she said, it was where lifelong friendships and habits were formed and where children learned how to navigate the situations thrown at them for life.

There may have been determination but it was still a monumental task. It is a huge chunk of Irish society: 4,000 schools; and one million students and teachers. Last month, McHugh spelled out the reality of schools returning under the rules we have all become familiar with. If if was two metres, primary students could return for only one day a week, and secondary students for half the week. Even with one metre distancing, primary school students would get two, perhaps three, days a week of schooling.

A nettle needed to be grasped. The two governments took their time. They looked at the experience elsewhere. Denmark opened its schools early and successfully. Israel, by contrast, allowed 40 pupils per class and had to close nearly 400 schools after 2,000 new cases emerged.

The Department commissioned research from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. Foley consulted with all the involved parties.

And the Government threw money at it. A lot of dosh, €375 million in total. But in this instance there were few quibbles from the Opposition. The plan directly acknowledges for staff and pupils, one metre rather than two will be the norm.

“There is no zero risk scenario,” admitted the Taoiseach, “but we can dramatically limit the risk.”

The younger the child is, the more impossible social distancing becomes. And so, for example, at primary level, the policy has developed the concept of the class bubble (each class remains separate from other classes at all times), and within that class bubble there will be pods or clusters of children who stay together. Double classes will become the norm in secondary schools, with teachers rather than pupils moving. There will be staggered drops-off and collections, meal-breaks and playing time. There will be regimental cleaning and hygiene protocols in a situation where face masks are deemed impractical.

Crucially, there will be 1,000 extra teachers employed at post-primary levels, as well as special needs assistants. A total of €75 million will be spend to help adapt the schools to Covid-19. Personal protection equipment will also be used. Each school will be allowed take on an aide to help preparations for reopening.

Huge investment. Complex logistics. Complicated guidelines. But the early indications are that it is a plan that just might work.