OPINION: Schools under pressure like never before

THIS time last year I was asked to write an article on how schools and education would be affected by the New Decade, New Approach Deal that re-established the Executive at Stormont. In terms of schools and education, I wrote about school budgets and funding, the industrial action in schools (now resolved), provision for Special Educational Needs, eliminating underachievement in children’s attainment and the Transfer Test. At the time of writing the article in January 2020, who would have known what was to transpire from March 2020 until now and what may await us all in 2021. Even though, the issues mentioned above are still being considered and are still of great importance, the big issue that has affected all our lives and in our schools has been Covif-19. It has taken precedence over everything we do from family, health, work, business, finances, culture, socialising and for our children’s education. EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED. At the start of February, things changed for me as well, as I retired as Principal of Holy Child PS and work now as an Education Adviser to Principals and Boards of Governors for the Catholic Maintained Schools on behalf of CCMS (Council for Catholic Maintained Schools).