18th March 2021
The Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council (NITC) met this morning (18 March 2021) and discussed the concerns raised by members of all unions in NITC Response: Rapid Testing with Lateral Flow Devices.
NITC are supportive of the further mitigation of regular testing of people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19 (asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic). NITC have been informed by DE about their phased plan for rolling out LFD testing to schools.
From 22 March, all staff in post-primary schools and all pupils in Years 12-14 will be invited to commence familiarisation to enable twice weekly self-testing using LFDs.
It is our understanding, from the meeting with Management Side and PHA that pupils below Year 12 will not be tested in the three phases currently outlined.
NITC are keen to support this programme of familiarisation but have raised concerns about ‘assisting’ students to take the test in a classroom/school environment.
NITC advises:
- The LFD programme is voluntary for pupils and staff.
- Consent forms will be completed by those who wish to participate. This administrative burden is acknowledged by EA who have stated that additional resourcing will be assured if recorded under COVID costs.
- The role of teachers is purely to facilitate familiarisation of the LFD test.
- The teaching unions advise that testing is safest carried out at home for privacy and to ensure no potential positive cases come into school.
- School staff cannot be compelled to supervise or support pupils to conduct self-testing in schools.
The LFD programme aims for two tests to be carried out before Easter, and one prior to return to school as an additional mitigation to reduce asymptomatic cases in school.
DE have stated that this initiative is part of a wider societal process and should, therefore, be viewed as an extra mitigation, not an imposition or a substitute for mitigations already in place.
NITC remain keen to engage with the Department to discuss what support will be needed for the roll-out of lateral flow testing in schools to be successful – but in a way that does not compromise safety in school – or add to the already unacceptably high workload demands on school leaders.
Any member who comes under any unreasonable pressure with regard to any aspect of LFD testing is advised to contact their union immediately.