SCHOOLS should shut from Thursday at the latest to ensure all Covid-19 cases among pupils can be traced, it has been urged.
Amid continuing calls for an early holiday, Chris Lyttle, chairman of the cross-party assembly education committee, said there was a need to bring order to the situation.
There are fears that fresh outbreaks in classrooms will force children and their families to isolate on Christmas Day.
Education Minister Peter Weir has repeatedly ruled out a longer break, either before the scheduled Christmas holidays or after them in the new year.
The north is one of the only regions in Europe that has had two separate education shut downs - the most recent being a two week stoppage over Halloween.
Many schools are due to finish for Christmas at the end of this week, with others opening for one or two days next week.
Some have already said they will mark pupils present in the final week if they stay at home and engage in remote learning.
At the last education committee meeting, Mr Lyttle said the minister should have planned for early school closures for Christmas.
Teaching and non-teaching staff, he said, had shown courage, dedication and resilience to facilitate education during a pandemic that isolated children and families from opportunities otherwise taken for granted.
He added that Mr Weir should have allowed schools to move to remote learning while making provision for vulnerable, special school and key worker pupils from December 11.
Now, Mr Lyttle said children should be let stay home from Thursday, December 17.
"There is a real practical issue. The PHA has advised the Department of Education that the PHA education tracing line will stop on the 23rd of December," Mr Lyttle said.
"It is my understanding that they have also advised that you need about five days from the last day of school to trace the majority of cases that may have occurred in those last days.
"Some schools are closing on the 21st and 22nd. How are cases on those dates going to be traced over Christmas if that line is closed?"
Head teachers will still be able to access PHA support over the holidays should cases emerge after schools close.
Meanwhile, principals have warned that there is a real possibility that young people will miss summer exams again.
Some schools have withdrawn pupils from GCSEs due to take place in early January.
