Students from third class upwards should maintain at least one metre physical distance from each other during class time when schools reopen in September, according to the latest public health advice.
The guidance, which was issued to the Department of Education at the end of last week, may create difficulties for schools in preparing for a full return of pupils in late August and September.
The guidance published today states that a distance of one metre should be maintained between desks or between individual pupils for students in third class and upwards.
It says, however, that such distancing is not a prerequisite for children in the first four years of schooling. The guidance states that at second-level physical distancing of two