The proportion of students wearing masks in schools could be increased through the use of better public health information, Fórsa has said. The union was responding to developments this week as the Government softened its approach in revised guidance published on Monday (6th December).

The original guidance issued to schools last week stated that pupils who failed to comply with the rules, and who did not have a medically-certified exemption, would be sent home from school. The new guidance states that, in implementing the public health measure, “it is not intended that any child will be excluded by the school in the first instance.”

Responding to last week’s announcement that masks were to be made mandatory in primary schools, Fórsa supported the use of face coverings in schools, but said the Government’s rush to implement the practice would make it difficult to achieve.

The union said its school-based members – special needs assistants (SNAs), school secretaries, and caretakers – should not be asked to exclude students for refusing to wear a mask, as this is the responsibility of school principals and senior teachers.

Fórsa’s head of education, Andy Pike, said measures that would improve the situation overall would include the provision of plenty of notice, more detailed public health advice explaining the rationale, the launch of a public information campaign that would encourage and recommend the use of masks for the greater good, and to build momentum through positive peer pressure amongst students.

Andy welcomed the fact that education department guidelines exempt children with special educational needs from the requirement to wear masks if it would cause difficulties with communication, raise anxiety levels, or cause other problems.

“Fórsa supports the use of face masks as an effective way of addressing the transmission of the virus in our schools. But the way in which the education department has implemented the policy is counterproductive, and will make the effective use of face masks much more difficult to achieve. The measure shouldn’t have been implemented overnight with no time to build consensus or explain the requirements to students, parents and staff,” he said.

Andy added that the union continues to request that the HSE reinstates the contact tracing and testing supports that were withdrawn on 27th September.

Full guidance on face masks/coverings in Primary schools can be accessed HERE.