Return to school 'may not be possible for some time'

Dear reader,

Many parents around Northern Ireland will be concerned at suggestions from a teaching union that it could be “some time” before their children are back in the classroom.

While the other devolved nations like Wales and Scotland are moving on the return of schools this month, Northern Ireland’s education minister Peter Weir has followed England in saying there will be no face-to-face teaching until March 8 at the earliest.

But now the National Education Union’s (NEU) Education Recovery Plan says the new variants of coronavirus will mean that even when children return to the classroom, numbers should be restricted.

Another 10 deaths of people who had coronavirus have been recorded in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has confirmed.

In addition, another 412 positive tests for Covid-19 were recorded in the last 24 hours, with the total number of positive cases in the last week totalling 3,205.

Alistair Bushe

Editor

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