There were joyous scenes across Belfast as some children returned to school this week. At Christ the Redeemer Primary School in Lagmore, parents leaving their children back for their 'first day' expressed mixed feelings on the return.
“I feel delighted that the kids are going back but I think the plans to only keep them there for two weeks is a bit up the left," said parent Louise Rodgers. "They should all be back.”
The current plan by the Executive is to allow Nursery, pre-School and Primary One to Three pupils to return to school for two weeks before they go back to distance learning on 22 March. That will allow pupils in years 12 to 14 to return to school until the Easter holidays.
"I have a P1 and a P3 and they are extremely excited to get back and see their friends but I must say that I will miss having them about the house," admitted mum Melissa McCormack.
“I think it is a bit of an upheaval for them and it will be hard for them going back for two weeks only to be off again but they definitely need these two weeks in terms of their social development."
Paul Hilland said distance learning couldn't hold a candle to the real classroom. “I think it is good for the kids to get back and it is certainly good for the parents too," he said. "My daughter is only P1 but I think that being stuck in the house isn’t good for her.”
The plan to move to home-schooling again in a fortnight left him nonplussed. “It is two different schools and they are completely separate so to me it doesn’t really make sense for them to be going back then off again. The reality is they are not going to be mixing or coming into contact with each other."
Parent Maria McMahon acknowledged some relief at the return. “I am excited for the kids to go back but I don’t feel that the plans to keep them home again after two weeks makes much sense," she told belfastmedia.com. "As long as they are going back now and getting some time with their friends while parents get a bit of a break then that’s at least one good thing.”
Christine Smyth wanted to see the return extended to pupils of all ages. “It is great to see them getting back," she said. "My daughter has missed out on so much and home schooling isn’t for me. It is great to see her getting excited about seeing her friends. But fair is fair and all the kids must have a chance to get back to school for a bit.”
In October last year, a report published by the Department of Health suggested that at that time, a full closure of schools could reduce the R-Rate by between 0.2 and 0.5. Last week, First Minister Arlene Foster told the press that the R-Rate currently stands at between 0.65 and 0.75. The current plan is to keep the R-Rate below 1.0 and this would suggest that if there were to be a full return to schools, it could bring the R-Rate over that.
