Omagh schools may close early for Christmas amid staff shortages

A NUMBER of primary schools in the Omagh district may have to close early for Christmas due to ‘Covid-related pressures’, which include staff shortages.

Gaelscoil na gCrann in Omagh said 18 pupils tested positive for the virus on Monday, and several members of staff are absent due to illness.

Principal Deirdre Ui Cheallaigh, told the UH, “This has put us under massive pressure and, due to the fact that we are a Irish language school, it has been very difficult to get substitute teachers.

“We believe that the best place for a child is at school, so we do not wish to close and put our pupils or their parents under pressure. But this is the most severe outbreak we have faced since the pandemic began.”

Drumlish Primary School has sent out a letter to parents informing them of its ‘staffing pressures’.

Principal, Joni McSorley, said, “It has been very hard to find substitute staff, and I have sent out a letter to the parents of our pupils telling them that if the current situation does not improve regarding staffing, it may affect their child’s learning.”

A number of the schools also mentioned shortages of relief staff for classroom assistants, some of whom are also absent due to the virus.

Sam Dennison, principal of McClintock Primary School in Seskinore, said that his wife, a retired nurse, is volunteering at the school because, “I can’t get classroom assistants.”

Gibson Primary School in Omagh say they have been ‘very lucky’ in regards to staffing and Covid-19 infection numbers, but indicated there is ‘no availability’ for cover staff.

Mr Sterrit, principal of the school said, “Usually, I am not teaching principal but I’ve had to fill in due to absences. This has meant that we have been able to avoid needing cover staff.

“But I know there has been no availability of cover staff and I do not know how a smaller school would cope.”

Marie O’Shea, chair of the Northern Committee of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), which represents teachers at primary and post-primary level explained, “Principals are reporting to us that they are finding it very difficult to get responses to appeals for substitute teachers. It’s not uncommon for 40 phone calls to be made and to still end up with no sub.

“There is a shortage of teachers in the system but there are also a number of programmes that have been initiated which have taken some of the substitute teachers out of the system, and that is having an impact on schools being able to find substitute teachers to cover short-term absences.”