Schools that enjoy a weekly half-day should consider using that next year to provide extra classes for sixth year students to compensate for lost tuition time in recent months, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). “Incoming sixth year students will need to be prioritised as schools reopen in September and efforts made to make up for any lost learning time” according to Learning for All? But it adds that some balance between exam and other subjects will need to be maintained to support student well-being. “In particular, students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and students with special educational needs were deeply affected by the shift to distance learning. Students in rural areas were also disproportionately affected by the digital divide, particularly in relation to broadband access.

Source: Irish Independent June 26, 2020 12:00 UTC