Derry rep call for schools to be allowed to make decisions during extreme weather
UUP Alderman Janice Montgomery has called for “more effective” communication between the Education Authority (EA) and schools during emergencies.
At October’s meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Alderman Montgomery put forward a motion which read: “This Council writes to the Minster of Education to ensure that [EA] establishes a more effective system of communication with schools for issuing urgent and emergency messages rather than solely relying on email correspondence which can be delayed or missed during critical situations.
“Furthermore, this Council calls on the Minister to grant schools more freedom and ability to make timely decisions regarding closures during periods of extreme weather conditions in order to safeguard the wellbeing and safety of pupils, staff and parents/ caregivers.”
Alderman Montgomery said the motion was in response to the “serious disruption” experienced by schools across Northern Ireland due to Storm Amy.
She noted that a notice, to close school by 12pm, was issued via email, after the school day had already started.
“We all know there can be delay in emails [and] it was not received for some up to an hour or more after it been issued,” Alderman Montgomery said.
“Principals and staff were placed under tremendous pressure to ensure getting messages and phone calls to parents and caregivers to collect their child [and] buses weren’t able to collect children from school due to the short notice.
“Being a mum of three I saw the pressure on schools first-hand, and the stress of parents getting from one school to another.
“The situation has highlighted the flaws in relying solely on email communications for emergency notifications and reinforces the need of a faster, more reliable alert system.”
Sinn Féin councillor Amanda Clarke said the scenes following the closure announcement were “nothing short of chaotic across the whole city and district” and agreed that EA needed a more robust system for extreme weather alerts.
DUP alderman Niree McMorris said Education Minister, Paul Givan, had since ordered a “full review of it” and looked at the timelines of communication with school leaders and parents in the outcome of school closures.
“He has tasked his department to do that and…. I believe that that will be coming to the next Committee meeting in Stormont,” she concluded.