Secondary school teachers are calling for a review of the advice on face coverings before schools reopen at the end of the month.
The Government’s current plan for reopening notes that face masks are not suitable for primary level students and should be optional at secondary level.
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland General Secretary Kieran Christie said he has asked for a review of the advice.
“Our position is very simple,” he said. “We would be guided by the medical advice that is available.
“Schools are being reopened in a few weeks and of course we welcome that but they need to be reopened in a sustainable manner.”
Teenagers wearing protective face masks in school in France, 02-06-2020. Image: Aurore Marechal/ABACAPRESS.COMHe said the ASTI wants a review of the advice around face masks because the current plan is based on advice provided to the department back in June.
“As you know, since June a lot has happened,” he said. “Phase Four of the reopening of the country was due to take place on July 20th. It won’t have happened even by the time the schools open.
“Secondly, and this is the most important one, there have been significant changes in the whole area of mask wearing. You will recall in the months of May and early June, even the HSE were very reluctant to introduce masks.
“Public policy has changed dramatically. They are coming in compulsorily next week in shops and recently they became compulsory on buses so we have asked the minister to go and ask the medical professionals to review the matter before the reopening of schools so the matter is cleared up once and for all.”
Speaking on the show yesterday, the former HSE chief executive Tony O’Brien said there is a 'clear-cut case' for mandatory face masks in secondary schools.
Meanwhile, immunologist has called for them to be mandatory for older students, at least for part of the day.
Mr Christie said social distancing in the classroom will be set at one metre between students and one to two metres between teachers and students.
“That makes the matter all the more pressing that it is clarified prior to the schools reopening,” he said.
“We think it is very important for the ease of mind of everybody concerned - parents, students, teachers – that, just prior to the reopening, that this is looked at very carefully again so the advice that was given in June is not the advice that is being relied upo,n given the fact public policy has moved on dramatically on the question since.”
He said he wrote to the Education Minister requesting the review last week and is currently waiting on a response.
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