Northern Ireland

Pope offers prayers to teachers adapting to online schooling

The survey was sent out as Pope Francis offered prayers to young people and staff
The survey was sent out as Pope Francis offered prayers to young people and staff The survey was sent out as Pope Francis offered prayers to young people and staff

THE Pope has offered prayers to teachers adapting to online schooling - as principals have finally been asked to assess remote learning.

All schools are shut for normal teaching but limited education supervision is being provided for children whose parents are key workers.

Many teachers are delivering lessons online through apps and programs including SeeSaw, Google Classroom and Zoom.

The Education Authority and Department of Education had given initial feedback, praising schools' flexible and innovative approach.

It later emerged there had been no formal evaluation taking place.

Yesterday, more than a month since the blanket closures, schools were asked by the Department of Education to give feedback.

Principals have been emailed a survey including a dozen questions designed to collect information about pupils' access to remote learning and identify support that may be required.

The survey was sent out as Pope Francis offered prayers to young people and staff.

"We pray today for teachers who have to work so hard to take lessons via the internet and other media channels, and we also pray for students who have to take exams in a way they are not used to," he said on Twitter.

The department said its survey was aimed mainly at those educating children in Years 1-14.

It asked schools to say if they were using online learning as part of their distance provision and if they were lending devices to pupils to allow them to have access.

It also asked principals to outline the main reasons for any lack of access for pupils - these could be a lack of technology or broadband issues.

On Thursday, 1,097 pupils were being looked after at 497 schools in the north.