Pupils cover up

STUDENTS at St Columba’s High School in Gourock wear protective face masks as they head to lessons as the requirement for secondary school pupils to wear face coverings when in corridors or on school transport came into effect yesterday across Scotland.

However, Education Secretary

John Swinney said pupils would not be sent home if they refused to comply with guidance.

PUPILS should not be excluded from school if they refuse to wear face masks in corridors and on school transport, John Swinney has said.

The Education Secretary rejected the step after it was called for by the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA).

Mandatory maskwearing in secondaries came into effect yesterday in a bid to curb transmission in crowded indoor spaces.

Asked if he agreed with the SSTA suggestion to send pupils home who refuse to comply, Mr Swinney said: “We’ve got to make sure that the wearing of face coverings in schools becomes essentially a habitual part of school life.

“In our guidance, we make it clear that young people should be encouraged and motivated and required to do that, but it should not result in exclusion from school if they don’t do that.

“I don’t agree with the SSTA that young people should be excluded from school if they’re not wearing face coverings, but I do think schools need to build up the cultural understanding and awareness of the importance of wearing face coverings as something that is done to protect all of the school population – staff and pupils alike.”

The rules are based on advice from the World Health Organisation.

Jo Bisset, of the parentled Us for Them group, which opposes masks, said: “We need to know what impact this is having on the wellbeing of children, their attendance at school and what it means for vulnerable youngsters.”

Pupils at St Columba’s High School in Gourock are being advised to “treat your mask like underwear” in one instructional slideshow.

Teacher Scott Stoddart said that pupils should not “touch or adjust it, do not borrow or share... and make sure it covers all the important parts”.