Former first minister ‘horrified’ at pupils’ lack of space to learn
SCOTLAND’S children should be provided with ‘learning spaces’ amid fears that schools will remain closed, a former first minister has said.
Jack McConnell yesterday said it was ‘horrifying’ to think pupils will not return to the classroom from February 1.
His comment comes just days after John Swinney warned it would be a ‘tall order’ to reopen schools at the end of the month.
The Education Secretary will review the situation this week before updating the country on when children can be expected to return. However, it is now unlikely that youngsters will be able to get back to in-person teaching in the coming weeks.
Lord McConnell said he was ‘deeply concerned’ by the prospect of continued school closures – and hit out at the lack of planning from the Scottish Government.
He called for ‘learning spaces’ where children can gather for inperson teaching in larger venues.
Speaking to the BBC’s Politics Scotland programme, Lord McConnell said: ‘I am deeply concerned.
‘I was calling for better preparations for schools to be open and actually functioning during this pandemic and for kids to have a direct education.
‘That wasn’t done in advance of this lockdown, and the idea that kids could be kept out of school in Scotland beyond the end of this month is horrifying.
‘We need to have national action to provide learning spaces for children with adults, so they can leave the home, go to something like a school and actually learn online or with all the other children.’
Lord McConnell has led calls for teachers to be vaccinated as a priority group – like the elderly and vulnerable. Earlier this month, he said: ‘More closures will be a disaster for pupils and parents struggling to cope. We need a national action plan to keep kids in a school-type environment, including testing, vaccines for staff and IT equipment for those that need it.’
Schools are currently closed to the majority of pupils following the most recent spike in Covid cases.
Fears over how a new mutant virus strain would affect children and young people also led to the decision to bring in remote learning.
Nicola Sturgeon had initially said schools would be closed until February 1, with a review to be carried out on the matter this week.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The pandemic is at a very dangerous point and we need remote learning to be in place to help tackle this serious situation.
‘We are working in a way that is designed to ensure a safe return to school is possible – as quickly as possible. That is what we are focused on.
‘Teachers, pupils and parents across Scotland have faced an enormous task adapting to a new, temporary way of working and have risen to the challenge admirably.
‘While remote learning is currently necessary to keep our communities safe, ministers have been clear that it will not last any longer than needed.’
‘More closures will be a disaster’