Leaving Cert students have questioned why schools must keep windows open when most Covid restrictions have been lifted.
While many pandemic measures were eased last week, schools are still advised to air classrooms before, after, and sometimes during lessons.
When schools reopened after the Christmas break, public health officials said that safety measures currently in place are effective and appropriate for the new term.
Earlier this month, there were renewed calls for Government to directly purchase HEPA filters for schools as January brought several weather warnings for low temperatures and ice.
At the time, social media has covered with posts to show that classrooms were below-average temperatures.
Local school has closed due to temperature in the classrooms 🥶🌡 pic.twitter.com/EmalV4GX0n
— Linda #RespectForSNAs (@lindaosull88) January 7, 2022
However, officials say the guidance still remains in place now so students will have a chance to be vaccinated.
But 18-year-old Nathan, a student at Pobalscoil Neasain in Baldoyle, Co Dublin says the cold conditions make it much harder to study;
"You socialise outside of school so why are we the ones who have to sit in the freezing cold and when we are trying to sit the Leaving Cert for example. You can't focus or listen because you are freezing and trying to stay warm. I don't understand why the windows have to stay open for us and I think it's a bit unfair because we are the ones taking the hit and no one else."
From a school in Dublin today. Imagine trying to teach or learn in that temperature. pic.twitter.com/bfWASlxUe5
— Paul Murphy 🏳️⚧️ (@paulmurphy_TD) January 6, 2022
Meanwhile, the possibility of school profiling being included in any hybrid model for the 2022 Leaving Cert has been described as 'unfair'.
It would mean a school's previous exam performance would be taken into account when assessing calculated grades.
There have been renewed calls for the Education Minister to clarify what is happening with this year's exams.
