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Covid-19: Retired teachers asked to come back to class

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Some schools have already had to move to remote learning because of staff absences

The Department of Education (DE) has appealed to recently-retired teachers to return to schools in the new year.

The DE said it was "asking them to temporarily return to the classroom so children can continue to benefit from face-to-face education during the pandemic".

A similar call was recently made by the Department of Education in England.

Some schools in NI had to resort to remote learning for some year groups due to rising staff absences.

Many schools have also reported problems in getting substitute teachers from the Northern Ireland Substitute Teacher Register (NISTR).

NISTR is a database of all substitute teachers in Northern Ireland, which schools use to book staff to cover teaching absences.

The department has asked recently retired teachers to register with NISTR if they are not already providing substitute cover.

But it is not clear how many retired teachers are available or want to return to teaching.

The most recent figures from the General Teaching Council of Northern Ireland (GTCNI) date from 2018 and show that there were 431 teachers aged 65 and over registered at that time.

Some, however, may have retired before age 65 and still be registered as teachers.

'No' to student teachers

Northern Ireland's universities were recently approached by DE to ask if about 550 student teachers could be used as substitute cover in schools.

However, the four universities which train teachers expressed a number of "significant concerns" about that plan.

As a result Education Minister Michelle McIlveen concluded that it would not be "reasonable or fair to use student teachers to address the current short-term pressure".

In October, special schools highlighted a "crisis" due to staff absence and the unavailability of substitute cover.

Some principals have also said that some schools face significant problems finding substitute teachers if staff are off sick.

But they also told assembly members on Stormont's Education Committee that "closing schools must be avoided at all costs."