To ask the Minister of Education, since the restart of schools in August, (i) how many pupils have applied for remote learning; and (ii) how many have been provided with it.

Pupils do not apply for remote learning. My Department has asked schools to have contingency plans in place for the delivery of remote learning to pupils in the event of a school closure due to COVID-19, or that a class or group of pupils need to self-isolate.

My Department does not collect data on the number of pupils who have been provided with remote learning, as this would be a bureaucratic burden on schools to provide on a daily basis.

A small number of children will be advised by their clinical team not to attend school. Where a child has been medically advised by a consultant not to attend school during 2020/21, parents should consult with their school Principal and the Education Authority regarding education provision for these pupils. This is not termed remote learning.