Swinney admits ‘anxiety’ over full-time reopening of schools

John Swinney has spoken of his “anxiety” over a potential full-time return to schools ahead of the final government decision this week.

The deputy first minister addressed concerns during a virtual meeting of the education committee on the potential risks of pupils returning to classrooms full-time.

Liberal Democrat MSP Beatrice Wishart grilled Mr Swinney on the speed official advice appears to change, given developments in cases and infection rates.

In response, he said: “It is not a concession but rather I am happy to say that I have some anxiety about the reopening of schools because of the degree of change this represents in the arrangements that we have within our society.

“We’ve been in a situation for four months of really limited contact between individuals and gatherings and the reopening of schools will be a significant step out of lockdown.

“So I readily acknowledge the importance of having good, clear advice that is available to school staff

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The reopening of schools is the highest priority and it will weigh heavily on the decisions the cabinet makes on Wednesday. JOHN SWINNEY

across the country and I’m confident that what the education recovery group has worked on, it will be able to deliver that.”

The Scottish cabinet is to make a final decision on the full-time reopening of schools when it meets tomorrow, with the first minister updating Parliament on the developments the following day.

Mr Swinney stressed schools will only return if the prevalence of the virus is deemed low enough.

He added: “The reopening of schools is the highest priority and it will weigh heavily on the decisions the cabinet makes on Wednesday.

“We look at a variety of data about the prevalence of the virus in the community and the judgment the government has to make over whether it is safe to relax the lockdown is a very difficult one.

“But the government has taken significant steps to relax the lockdown in other sectors and we must look very carefully to see if that has had an effect on the prevalence of the virus.

“We could see that it results in an increase in prevalence and that would undermine our ability to reopen schools.”