Now union bosses accuse ministers of playing politics over schools reopening
PLANS to reopen schools fulltime with no social distancing are ‘politically’ motivated, according to union chiefs.
Teachers have attacked a U-turn by SNP ministers which will ditch proposals for ‘blended learning’.
Education Secretary John Swinney had warned that children could be at school some days and at home the rest of the time, for up to a year.
But on Tuesday he announced this would now be used as a ‘contingency’ plan with schools to return as normal from August 11.
The move has been welcomed by political opponents who had urged for a return to full-time schooling as soon as possible amid fears over the growing attainment gap.
But yesterday, EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan sent a letter to the union’s members outlining the issues with a full-time return to classrooms.
Mr Flanagan has warned that the announcement from Mr Swinney has caused ‘considerable debate, anxiety, frustration, confusion and even anger’ among teachers.
He said: ‘This was a political announcement from the Scottish Government, not an agreed outcome from CERG (Covid Education Recovery Group).’
Mr Flanagan said CERG met ‘only last week’ and members had discussed blended learning as the only option for resuming schooling in August with ‘no discussion’ on the plans from Mr Swinney.
Mr Swinney has told teachers and parents they should prepare for children to return to school full-time without social distancing from August 11. It comes after the Government faced considerable pressure to shelve plans for blended learning, which would have seen youngsters forced to do at least half of their learning at home.
But teachers have warned that they expect precautions to be taken – with union chiefs asking the Government to consider a range of options.
This includes social distancing between pupils and teachers, the use of face masks and enhanced testing procedures.
Mr Flanagan said that while it may be a ‘politically inconvenient truth’, decision makers must remember than the virus has not been eradicated.
He has set out a number of ‘red lines’, including having ‘demonstrable evidence that the virus is under control’.
Mr Flanagan said there must be transparency from ministers – including telling unions what the infection rate needs to be to reopen, what level of daily infection is required, daily death figures and the number of hospitalisations.
He has also set out practical demands for the Government to consider, insisting he is ‘not convinced that no physical distance between pupils is safe’.
Mr Flanagan has also asked the Government whether face coverings should be mandatory for teachers and whether Perspex barriers should be used.
He has also called for proactive testing for teachers.
In an interview with Bauer Radio, Mr Swinney said he would not be comfortable with his nine-year-old son wearing a face mask at school and added: ‘I don’t think it would be necessary for a child who is nine. When you get slightly older you get into some different ground because you are talking about essentially young adults.’
He said the final day for a decision on whether blended learning is needed is July 30.
Mike Corbett of teachers’ union NASUWT said: ‘A lot of teachers are asking, “Are we going to be tested regularly?” There is an awful lot to sort out on the safety side.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Schools will only return full-time if scientific advice shows the virus is sufficiently under control.
‘We are planning for schools to reopen on August 11.
‘However, some schools may need a very short period of time to finalise their planning.’
‘Anxiety among teachers’