Open windows cause pupils to ‘freeze in classrooms’

SCHOOLCHILDREN are ‘freezing in classrooms’ due to measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid in local schools, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has been told.

On Tuesday night, council members unanimously agreed to contact the Minister for Education, Michelle McIlveen MLA, calling for action to prevent the transmission of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in schools, amid concerns around the disruption caused to staff and children alike.

Cllr Bernice Swift, Independent proposed contacting the Minister and raising the issue at forthcoming meeting with the Education Authority.

She said, “Much more needs to be done to ensure our schools can remain open and most definitely safe for both staff and pupils alike.”

“If we sit back and think how any teacher could stay two metres away from young children in the early years classrooms: It’s really impossible and surrounded by nearly 20 children for more than five hours a day, and not to even be supplied with the necessary medical care masks.

Protecting face-to-face education requires the provision of these masks.

“We are learning daily and hearing the problems that having to work in almost Baltic conditions is insufferable by having to open windows widely.”

Seconding, Cllr Adam Gannon, SDLP told members as a teacher he could attest that, “Omicron is having a massive impact on education. I had Covid over Christmas and had to isolate and it definitely impacted on students having to go to hybrid learning once again.”

Turning to the requirement to keep windows open for air flow-through, Cllr Gannon said at times he has had to wear ‘two jackets at times to keep warm’.

He continued, “There is essentially no support or guidance from the department.”

Supporting this, Independent councillor, Emmet McAleer requested an inclusion to the proposal around ‘school uniform reform’.

“Children are sitting freezing in these classrooms and are limited by what the uniform regulations are, in terms of what they can and cannot wear,” he said. “It should be about prioritising the pupils health and wellbeing as opposed to their appearance. The Minister does have the power to give directions to any relevant authority.”

Councillor Swift agreed to this being added to her proposal which passed unanimously.