Face coverings recommended for secondary schools

SECONDARY school students are being urged to wear a face covering or mask in corridors and communal areas of the school.

On Tuesday, Education Minister Peter Weir recommended that pupils and teachers wear a face covering in corridors and other communal areas of post-primary schools from next week when schools return full-time. This will come into effect on August 31.

James Warnock, principal of Dean Maguirc College in Carrickmore, has welcomed the announcement and said students have been encouraged to wear masks at the school since they returned on Monday.

Mr Warnock said, “The priority on the return was to advise the students on the new procedures in place as the college strived for the safety of all during this time of pandemic.

“We have encouraged our students to wear masks since they returned on Monday and the vast majority of pupils have been engaging with this.”

Mr Warnock said the return of the students was ‘straightforward’ as Years 12 and 14 have been getting used to the new routines such as sanitising of hands and navigating the school’s new one-way system.

“It was great to see the students return to the college again and various conversations have indicated that there was a definite sense of contentment about being back and getting into a routine once more,” he remarked.

John Dennison, acting principal of Drumragh Integrated College in Omagh, said the reopening has gone “smoothly so far” with students coming back on a phased basis.

Mr Dennison explained, “We have Year 12 and 14 students in the school this week and all students will be back with us from September 7.

“When they come back, the students are given Covid training and are learning about health and safety and all the new regimes around the school.

“The staff and senior management have put a huge amount of effort into reopening and so far, it has been going really well and the preparations have paid off.

“In the main, we are pleased and the students have been brilliant and very adaptable.

“It was lovely to walk down the corridors and see the children back in class engaging with the teachers – just the way it should be,” concluded Mr Dennison.