Remote Learning

Education – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:00 pm on 26 January 2021.

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Photo of Gary Middleton Gary Middleton DUP 2:00, 26 January 2021

3. Mr Middleton asked the Minister of Education for his assessment of remote learning during the current restrictions in schools. (AQO 1460/17-22)

Photo of Peter Weir Peter Weir DUP

As a system, we are significantly better prepared and equipped to deliver remote learning than we were last March. Since the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year, my Department has asked schools to have contingency plans in place for the delivery of remote learning. Schools are now implementing those plans to deliver remote learning during the next couple of weeks. Due to the dedication of teachers and school leaders, the vast majority of schools had already been delivering remote learning where and when it was needed during the autumn term, continually improving their provision in line with expectations and emerging best practice.

At the beginning of January, my Department issued an educational continuity direction, which makes it a legal requirement for all preschool settings and primary and post-primary schools to provide remote learning. Alongside the direction, my Department published further detailed guidance for schools on supporting remote learning. That provides additional advice and guidance to schools about how they can tailor and adapt the delivery of the curriculum. Schools are required to have regard to that guidance.

There is much good practice across our system, and my Department is monitoring the implementation of remote learning through the school managing authorities, which will work to support schools that have any difficulties.

Photo of Gary Middleton Gary Middleton DUP

I thank the Minister for his response. I welcome the guidance that has been issued on remote learning. I know that he will agree that face-to-face teaching is the most appropriate but that we have to be mindful of the health advice. Will the Minister outline what additional resources have been provided to support remote learning?

Photo of Peter Weir Peter Weir DUP

About an additional £7 million has been provided to support remote learning this year. That has enabled up to 24,000 devices to be made available for learners and to continue to improve online services. The scheme to provide the devices and Wi-Fi access to the educationally disadvantaged to support access to remote learning remains open, and, as I said, the EA is procuring more devices.

As well as the money side of it, there are resources in terms of guidance materials and case studies to support learning. Those have been produced by the Department as part of a continuity of learning programme. Through C2k, the EA has developed My-School, which is a website of best resources that provides a gateway to access online teacher professional learning sessions and webinars. The website collates and makes available the resources and guidance developed through the continuity of learning programme, including newly developed resources and case studies.

Since the start of the process, there have been link officers — they are still in place — for each school, largely through the Education Authority or the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI). The Department continues to work closely with them, particularly with the ETI, and other educational support bodies to identify additional support materials to be developed at pace.

Photo of Chris Lyttle Chris Lyttle Alliance

Will the Minister provide an update on the EA procurement of funded access to the Seesaw digital learning platform for schools to aid remote learning among students, teachers, and parents and guardians?

Photo of Peter Weir Peter Weir DUP

I do not have the direct information on Seesaw, but I will get it to the Member.

Photo of Rosemary Barton Rosemary Barton UUP

The Member just asked the question that I was going to ask. Is the Minister considering other platforms for primary- and post-primary-school children?

Photo of Peter Weir Peter Weir DUP

Advice comes from the EA through its C2k side. That can help primary schools and, in particular, teachers. We are open to any other suggestions. Through the continuity of learning programme, we try to channel those. No one is a fount of all wisdom on these things. As we move further into lockdown, we are developing programmes all the time, and we are open to doing that. Obviously, we have to make sure that what is there is quality controlled and appropriate to a child's age.

Photo of Patsy McGlone Patsy McGlone Social Democratic and Labour Party

A fair bit of interest is being shown in this topic, so I will go beyond the standard two additional questions.

Photo of Nicola Brogan Nicola Brogan Sinn Féin

I raised with Mr Weir previously the issue of the digital gap that has been made more evident because of remote learning. As has been said, families struggle to access support for IT devices and printers. In my constituency of West Tyrone, families struggle with access to adequate internet connectivity.

Given the availability of significant COVID support funding, as set out by the Finance Minister yesterday, will the Minister submit a further bid for funding to scale up the provision of devices and equip pupils with internet connectivity?

Photo of Peter Weir Peter Weir DUP

We have put in a range of additional bids that equate to around £18 million, which, I think, have been accepted by the Finance Minister. Much of that is to sponsor the additional devices that the EA is providing. We are in constant iteration, particularly with the EA. Given the funding that is available, there is no lack of willingness on our part. It is just a question of how quickly certain things can be delivered. With devices, there is a procurement time lag, which is still difficult to overcome in the short term. However, there will be additional devices.

As I said, we have also made some tools available, such as MiFi and BT access, but we do run into a problem. The Member correctly identified that the problem with a lot of households is not the lack of a device but the fact that a number of family members are pursuing that device.

As I have indicated, the other thing that is difficult to overcome is that, geographically, there will be some parts of Northern Ireland where, no matter what you are able to put in, because of the lack of broader internet access, some schools will have to operate in a slightly different sphere. That is simply because, no matter what can be done from the education end, there is not always going to be that availability for those children. We are, however, constantly liaising with the EA to see whether anything additional can be done to stretch what can be provided. Given the broader financial position, the lack of finance is not the issue. Rather, it is how quickly, from a public procurement point of view, things can be turned around on some of the issues.

Photo of Daniel McCrossan Daniel McCrossan Social Democratic and Labour Party 2:15, 26 January 2021

Minister, I have a brief point to make that follows on from what some other Members have said. Some would argue that C2k is largely no longer fit for purpose, given that it is 20 years old. That needs be addressed, and I know that the Minister has acknowledged that. Seesaw is worth considering. Some other Members and I have had a rundown on it, and it looks as though it is a very good and appropriate programme.

Can the Minister outline what analysis his Department has conducted on the impact of remote learning on children from a deprived background and whether mitigations have been sufficient to address educational underachievement?

Photo of Peter Weir Peter Weir DUP

I indicated in the previous debate that a number of reports have been done. There is no doubt that remote learning will have an impact on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Again, the issue is not simply one of access to devices. All children will flourish best in an environment in which they are in a face-to-face teaching situation. As I indicated, there is a strong need. This year, the Engage programme was put in place. We need to look ahead, and bids will be made to the Executive for 2021-22 funding. I know that the Member has been active on that particular front, so I should indicate that those who have been engaged through Engage will continue to be. As far as is possible, schools are trying to deliver what they can through remote learning.

I appreciate that a lot of schools will have tried to focus on small groups. That is not impossible, but it becomes more difficult using remote learning. It is imperative that the Executive look favourably on any proposals to roll out the programme. There may be times when the Member and I are metaphorically on a see-saw. We occasionally struggle to be level on it, but I know that quite a lot of schools, particularly during lockdown and particularly primary schools, have used Seesaw. It is therefore not something that has appeared overnight. It is a good example of some of the platforms that can be used by primary schools, and, indeed, it is widely used by them.

Photo of Gerry Carroll Gerry Carroll People Before Profit Alliance

My question follows on from those on the digital divide. Minister, can you guarantee that all pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds will have access to a digital device and free access to the internet?

Photo of Peter Weir Peter Weir DUP

I do not think that that guarantee can be given for every individual across the board. We are trying to procure the maximum number of devices. Can that be done in every individual case? Unfortunately, achieving that will be difficult. As I indicated, it is rarely about devices. Indeed, the feedback from schools that we got, which we used when procuring the first round of devices, was around what the needs out there are. Even out of the initial 24,000 devices, a small number are still available and eligible to be claimed.

It would, however, be foolhardy to give a guarantee that every single person will be able to receive everything that is needed. All of us can do only the best that we can. It also highlights the fact that, beyond simply the lockdown period, there will inevitably be a need for some catch-up to be done and a need for investment in the resources required for our students as we move into the next financial year.