Northern Ireland

Schools to remain closed until mid-February - but still no clarity on exams

It remained unclear if this year's GCSE and A-Level exams will be scrapped
It remained unclear if this year's GCSE and A-Level exams will be scrapped It remained unclear if this year's GCSE and A-Level exams will be scrapped

EDUCATION minister Peter Weir last night confirmed that schools will largely close to pupils until mid-February, although there was still no clarity on whether GCSE and A-Level exams will go ahead.

Mr Weir said pre-school education settings, primary and post-primary schools will be required to provide remote learning until the half-term break.

However, special schools and childcare settings will remain open, with the Executive keeping the position under review.

Vulnerable children and children of key workers will also have access to schools for supervised learning, with only one parent/guardian required to be a key worker, and direct payments will be made to families entitled to free school meals.

The DUP minister said: “Any disruption to schooling for a significant period of time will have a devastating impact on children’s educational opportunities and future prospects, as well as being damaging to their mental health and well-being.

“No matter how well managed or provided, removal of face-to-face learning and its replacement with remote learning impacts on children’s educational experience, with a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged groups and vulnerable children.

“It should, therefore, be only contemplated as a last resort in extreme public health circumstances such as we are currently facing, and should be maintained for a period no longer than is necessary.”

It is understood the exams issue was not resolved at a meeting of the executive last night, with Mr Weir saying he intends to provide further clarity "in the next couple of days".

He said his priority had always been to ensure that exams go ahead as planned if at all possible.

“My overriding aim is ensure that our students are not disadvantaged in terms of their qualifications compared with other jurisdictions," he said.

"Work is ongoing on this issue as a matter of urgency and I intend to provide further clarity in the next couple of days. Until and unless any announcement is made, students should expect to continue to sit scheduled examinations.”

There have been calls for immediate answers from the minister, particularly on GCSE modules and BTEC exams due to be taken this month.

Sinn Féin assembly member Nicola Brogan said the "delay in decision-making is totally unfair on our young people".

Pupils in England were told on Monday that GCSE and A-Level exams will not all go ahead as planned under a new coronavirus lockdown announced by British prime minister Boris Johnson.

The cancellation brings England into line with Wales and Scotland, which have both announced that tests would not be proceed.

In October, Mr Weir announced changes to GCSE exams that would enable students to omit assessment of one unit of each of their qualifications, up to a maximum of 40 per cent of each qualification.

He later also unveiled similar changes to AS and A-Levels.

It came after chaos surrounding last year's summer grading when the exams were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Calculated grades provided by schools were used to give results, but there was controversy after more than a third of A-level and AS-level grades provided by schools were lowered by the exams board CCEA.

Those results were later revised amid widespread criticism.