DUBLIN: Children’s Ombudsman Dr. Niall Muldoon warns that keeping children away from school will further affect their long-term mental health.
Children have not been to school since the Christmas holidays. Children who have to stay home for months after school closed are worried about when school will be re-opened. At the same time, Dr. Muldoon said that the discussions between the education department and the teachers unions regarding the reopening of the school were going on without a decision.
He says many children have contacted his office with concerns and questions about going back to school, which indicates a psychological strain on children.
“There’s parents contacting me constantly who are in a situation where their children are becoming suicidal, who are acting out in a way that is very dangerous because of the lockdown. They have lost six months of their experience in school and the routine and habit and social life that used to keep them safe is gone.” Children are more likely to face long-term mental health problems as a result of the closure of schools – Children’s Ombudsman said.
He said many children had approached him with concerns about their mental stress and mental health after the teachers union withdrew from the discussion about the school reopening.
66 deaths and 1078 cases confirmed yesterday
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) said yesterday that 1,078 COVID-19 cases had been confirmed in Ireland.
It was reported yesterday that another 66 people died as a result of COVID-19 infection.
The death toll from COVID-19 is nearing 4,000 in Ireland. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is 208,796.
Meanwhile, the Association of Secondary Teachers’ Ireland (ASTI) has announced that it will resume discussions with the Department of Education about this year’s Leaving Cert exams. The teachers unions also said that Education Minister Norma Foley had indicated that the Leaving Cert exam could be conducted as usual.
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