Department must provide access to expertise on best usage of COVID-19 funding  - TUI  

By piofficer, Monday, 13th December 2021 | 0 comments

Noting the announcement of additional funding being provided to schools to tackle COVID-19, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has said that the Department must provide clear guidance and access to expertise on ventilation and related issues so that schools can best use the resources available.

The union also wants the Department to pro-actively investigate and invest in any solutions that would further boost safety in the months ahead.   

TUI said that as a result of historic underinvestment, Irish schools were forced to tackle the huge challenges of COVID-19 from a worse position than those in other countries.  

Speaking today, TUI General Secretary Michael Gillespie said:  

‘We note today’s announcement of additional funding being made available to schools to counter the threat of COVID-19. In addition to making this funding available, it is crucial that the Department provides access to expertise on ventilation and related issues so that schools can best use the resources available.’  

‘The importance of adequate ventilation in keeping schools and colleges safe has been continuously referenced and universally recognised, but it must be borne in mind that no two schools are the same. Even within particular schools, classroom spaces are not uniform in terms of size, shape, orientation and ventilation facilities. Schools, colleges and other education settings remain under immense pressure both as a result of the continuing high national incidence rate of the virus and because cold weather brings a range of new challenges. In cases where a school identifies a need for additional resourcing, this must be provided.’  

‘It is also critical that the Department, assisted by other relevant authorities fully, forensically and promptly investigates any technologies or other possible solutions that might further enhance safety in classrooms around the country. This must be a key element of an ongoing, rolling review that triggers additional investment when and where required if health and safety can be further bolstered. Obviously, speed is of the essence in this regard.’   

Pandemic puts shamefully poor education investment into sharp focus 

‘The pandemic continues to put into sharp focus the shamefully poor levels of public investment in Irish education. The latest OECD figures show that of the countries for which figures are provided, none spends a lower proportion of national wealth on education than Ireland (3%). At second level, the situation remains particularly dire, with Ireland’s spend (1.1%) the lowest of the 36 countries for which figures are provided, trailing unacceptably far behind the OECD and European averages (both 1.9%).’  

‘As a result, Irish schools have had to tackle the effects of the pandemic from a far lower base than that which applies in other countries. Compounding this disadvantage are our larger class sizes, over-stretched pastoral support systems for students and education facilities often unsuited to modern teaching and learning.'    

'This systemic malaise must be remedied through a significant multi-annual increase in education funding and dedicated capital budgets for school building programmes from the next Budget onwards.’  

;