Students with additional educational needs in mainstream classes are being “left behind” as schools reopen on a limited basis for tens of thousands of pupils from Monday, disability organisations have said. Special education teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) would be back in schools but this group of students, who have been at home for months due to Covid-19 restrictions, would not be, he said. All students in dedicated special education schools and classes returned to classrooms in February. First- to fourth-year secondary school students are due to return to in-person teaching from April 12th. NegotiationsThe plan to reopen schools followed lengthy negotiations between the department and teaching unions to address Covid-19 safety concerns.

Source: The Irish Times February 28, 2021 19:55 UTC