Church schools will not be reopening their gates on Thursday as planned as a result of the sharp spike in new COVID-19 cases.
Most Church schools were set to reopen for the second term on Thursday, along with all State schools.
But in a statement on Wednesday, the Secretariat for Catholic Education (SfCE) in consultation with the Church Schools Association (CSA) said the first two days of the new term will be carried out online. This will allow schools to offer an education which safeguards the health and safety of students, staff members and their families. This measure may be extended at least until January 13 if the trend in positive cases remains high.