In late December, in response to the acute staffing and substitution challenges that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Teaching Council approved the enactment of amendments to its 2016 Registration Regulations in order to allow for the registration of student teachers on concurrent programmes of accredited Initial Teacher Education who have completed two years of those programmes.

All schools across the country are being asked to observe a minute’s silence at 11am on Tuesday, 18 January in memory of Ashling Murphy. We are encouraging schools to fall silent to remember a beloved primary school teacher, taken far too soon, and show our solidarity with her friends, family, colleagues and pupils as Ashling is laid to rest. 

As you will be aware, the TUI made strong representation to the Department of Education both before and after Christmas in relation to the provision of FFP2 masks. The Department has this week issued correspondence confirming that schools may use their COVID-19 capitation funding to provide such masks. It has also provided a list of suppliers and product codes.  However, this will only be of value to school staff if the procurement process is fit for purpose and does not add to the already significant administrative workload in schools.  We will continue to raise these and other arising issues related to the safe operation of schools in our engagements with the Department of Education and public health representatives.   

Click here for some frequently asked questions on the re-opening of schools – January 2022.