Extend school holidays by two days at Christmas, says teachers' union

Extending the school holidays would give students and teachers more time to restrict their movements before meeting elderly or vulnerable relatives at Christmas, according to the TUI.

Serious consideration should be given to extending the school holidays by two days to give students and teachers more time to restrict their movements before meeting elderly or vulnerable relatives at Christmas. 

That's the call from Michael Gillespie, general secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI), who believes the "once-off" measure would be a positive sign of the Department of Education's intention to protect the wellbeing of all in the school community. 

"Recent months have been unprecedentedly difficult and draining for school communities, with a million students returning to recalibrated classrooms that were barely recognisable as those they vacated the previous March. 

"This has been an extraordinarily intensive working period, and staff and students are far more fatigued than they would be during a ‘normal’ school year," he said, adding the move to extend the holidays slightly would be a "much-needed" boost of morale. 

Closing schools on the afternoon of Friday, December 18, would also allow students and teachers, a significant proportion of the population, to restrict their movements for a longer period before meeting grandparents at Christmas, should public health advice allow such gatherings at the time, he added. 

However, on Tuesday, Norma Foley, the Minister for Education, appeared to rule out such a measure when it was proposed at the Oireachtas Education Committee. 

Ms Foley appeared before the committee along with Josepha Madigan, Minister of State for Inclusion.

The proposal to add two days to the school holidays was floated at the committee by Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Labour's spokesman on education.

Schools, teachers, and principals are under extreme pressure at the moment, he said.

“They're working very hard to keep going and at keeping the schools open. There is an argument that we may have space maybe for a prolonged Christmas break, perhaps ending school on Friday, December 18.” 

In response, Ms Foley said she acknowledged the work involved in keeping schools open. “I do appreciate there's a huge body of work being undertaken on a daily basis within the schools.” 

I'm very mindful in the first place that the school calendar has been agreed and parents are aware of it and made necessary arrangements in relation to it

"I’m also conscious of the time missed in terms of the lockdown earlier in the year.” 

“I’m also conscious of the public health advice which is telling us that students are much better served when they are in school.”

“At this point in time, I would follow the public health advice that’s there." 

Green Party senator Pauline O’Reilly said she did not agree with Mr O’Riordan’s proposal. “I think that it has been shown quite clearly that children are benefiting from going back to school.

“While school is fantastic, and children are delighted to be back to school, it is also a form of childcare, and there are many people who just don't want to take any more days off school.”

On Thursday, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) and Fórsa are due to address the Education Committee.