SCHOOLS are to receive home testing kits to be handed out to parents of children with Covid-19 symptoms.
The Department of Health and Social Care in England developed the initiative to provide tests to all schools there.
Education Minister Peter Weir accepted an offer, extended through the Department of Health and Public Health Agency, to include Northern Ireland.
All schools and Further Education colleges, regardless of size, are to receive an initial supply of 10 home test kits.
If a young person displays symptoms, schools are advised to make contact with their parents or carer to arrange for their collection and book a test. This will usually take place either at one of the four testing centres in Belfast, Craigavon, Enniskillen or Derry or through mobile units.
A home kit will only be offered to individuals in the exceptional circumstance that they may have barriers to accessing testing elsewhere.
No tests are to be undertaken in schools and colleges themselves.
Delivery of the test kits is due to start on September 7 and Northern Ireland is included in the first wave of the roll out.
Children started back full-time this week having been learning from home since March.
Social distancing has been abandoned in favour of classroom `bubbles'.
Pupils in secondary schools have been asked to wear face coverings in corridors and communal areas.
Some schools have already reported that pupils have displayed symptoms and have been sent home.
Meanwhile, reusable face masks are to be provided to tens of thousands of pupils who are entitled to free home-to-school transport.
Every young person will be given a pack including 10 masks.
Coverings on dedicated school buses are not compulsory, but both the Department of Education and Translink strongly recommend their use.
On public transport, masks are mandatory for everyone aged 13 and over unless they have a medical exemption.
The department recently confirmed that it secured funding for the Education Authority (EA) to source and distribute starter packs of face masks for children who receive transport assistance.
"We are working closely with Translink staff and schools to begin distribution of these as soon as possible," the EA said.
