Schools not yet free of Covid’s shadow

WITH the rest of society and businesses relaxing their Covid restrictions in line with new government advice, it would seem illogical to continue to leave schools required to have stricter measures. It is to be welcomed that the Welsh Government has brought school life more into line with the rest of public life. It is also to be welcomed that moves are being made to tackle the persistent problem of high pupil absence.

The official schools “framework” laying out what restrictions schools could and should impose, depending on local infection rates and circumstances, has ceased. Logically, it could not continue now that asymptomatic testing and track and trace have ended.

But is has to be acknowledged that schools are still very much operating under continued pandemic disruption and that this is likely to continue at least until the end of term. The door has been left open for indvidual schools to continue to ask pupils to wear masks and stick to contact bubbles, even though the official framework has gone.

Covid cases may be falling but there are still cases. These are causing staff and pupil absences and are likely to have a real impact on exams taking place shortly.

At the same time as announcing restrictions are to be eased, the Education Minister laid out new measures to support exam candidates in what has been a continually pandemic-disrupted school year. This support, while welcome, is long overdue. It may also not prove to be enough.

Waiving fees for appeals for the most disadvantaged pupils, and giving free school meal data to universities to consider, is surely only the tip of the iceberg in terms of addressing all of the face-to-face learning this cohort has lost since 2020.

In the meantime schools have still not seen the new “checklist” to replace the “framework” for Covid restrictions. The Welsh Government has said schools and local education authorities must now consider Covid as they would any communicable disease.

This return to more normality is welcome. The pity is that there is still a lack of clear detail and that the easing has come so late.

The Welsh Government and all those in charge of education must now do their utmost to ensure that young people are not further disadvantaged. Ministers may promise no learner will be left behind – but with things as they are, there is no guarantee of that.