Covid-19 briefing: Stormont ministers explain lockdown extension - BBC News
Arlene Foster and Conor Murphy explain Stormont's latest decision on Covid-19 lockdown extension.
Some certainty has been provided for families as regards pupils going back to school.

But is there a possibility some pupils may not return after the Easter holidays?

Mrs Foster says that there will be a gradual return of young people coming back "to where they belong - in face to face teaching".

She says the executive has looked at the fact that transmissibility is higher among those over 12 years of age and the pressure on secondary children who are in exam years and need to be assessed even though they are not doing exams. She says these are "competing" factors.

"After Easter if we continue to go in the same trajectory as we are now, the rest of the tranches - the p4 to p-7 and the rest of post primary will be back to school" she says.

She cites other jurisdictions where a similar pattern is being used.

She says young people have missed out dreadfully and also knows that home schooling can be a challenge.