The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
City schools at ‘risk of closure’ if more teachers self-isolate
Schools in Dundee could be in danger of closing if more teachers have to self-isolate, a union leader has warned.
Amid worries about the rate of infection in the city, David Baxter of the Educational Institute of Scotland claimed schools were in a precarious position.
Too many teachers having to self-isolate if they are identified as close contacts of pupils who test positive for Covid-19 could result in schools having to shut.
Before the Oc tober holiday, two primar y schools in Fife where several people contracted the virus had to close due to staff shortages.
EIS Dundee secretary Mr Baxter said: “It’s a fairly precarious time.
“If teachers are going to have to self-isolate you will hit a tipping point where we will run out of teachers.”
Tighter coronavirus restrictions come into force today, after a spike in the infection rate led to Dundee being placed in level three of the Scottish Government’s new tier system.
Mr Baxter spoke out after it was also revealed that senior pupils in city schools will have to wear face masks in class from today under new guidelines for Tier 3 areas.
Since the start of the term there have also been several Covid cases associated with Dundee schools, resulting in pupils being asked to self-isolate.
A first year Perth High School pupil has also tested positive for Covid-19.
The youngster, who is in class P10/PC, tested positive in the last few days with all close contacts now forced to self-isolate for 14 days.
The school said the last date of contact with others was on Friday meaning a return would not be until November 12.
Officials said work will be provided for all young people who are asked to self-isolate.
The school will remain open.
Mr Baxter said: “We have seen an increase in positive cases in schools and we are seeing teachers and pupils self-isolating.”
If the number of cases in the community grows, he said, it could result in many more teachers having to stay at home.
He added: “If there are more community transmissions, the likelihood is there will be more positive cases in pupils and more selfisolating among the staff.
“There’s a real risk that there won’t be enough teachers. It’s not possible to collapse classes because you are mixing bubbles and you can’t send classes to the dinner hall because it breaches the risk assessment.”
Mr Baxter appealed to the government to make physical-distancing possible in schools by using other buildings to create more space and recruiting more teachers.