Minister for Education Joe McHugh has stated that schools are set to remain closed beyond March 29. The Government will update parents on the extension of school closures in the coming days.
McHugh spoke to Galway Bay FM about the extended closures: "We don’t know where we are going to be in terms of the peak of this virus. I think we owe it to those young people who are studying and putting in the effort to see this through to try to have these exams this year. When I say this year, I mean the dates that are defined for this year. That’s what we are working towards.”
The Department of Education will be influenced and directed by the health officials when making further decisions.
Despite the extended closures, McHugh hopes that the Leaving Cert and Junior Cert examinations will still go ahead.
This news comes after oral and practical examinations were cancelled last week. Students will be given full marks in lieu of the cancellations.
