Sturgeon accused of being driven by dates not data on reopening of schools
NICOLA Sturgeon faces accusations of being driven by dates not data after she announced plans to have all pupils back in school full-time following the Easter break.
The EIS, Scotland’s largest teaching union, said the move risked reversing recent progress in driving down transmission of Covid-19.
It comes after the First Minister told MSPS yesterday afternoon that P4-7 pupils would return to class from March 15.
That date would also see in-person teaching resume on a parttime basis for high school students, who are expected to go back fulltime after the Easter holidays.
Buildings were reopened for P1-3 children and those in pre-school last month.
Ms Sturgeon said the plan was based on continued declines in infection rates, test positivity and hospital admissions, as well as the strength of Scotland’s Covid vaccination programme.
Thanking teachers, parents and pupils for their support during the current lockdown, she added: “The phased approach to school return can be frustrating, I know.
“But it is necessary and it is firmly based on the expert advice that we have received.
“It is the best, and also the most sustainable and enduring, way to get as many children back to school as possible, as safely as possible.”
But Larry Flanagan, EIS General Secretary, said: ”We are only one full week into the return of P1-3 and the impact of that needs to be assessed before final decisions are taken on next steps.
“The First Minister has said the Government will be driven by data not dates but today’s announcement seems to be quite the opposite of that.
“An overhasty return of all pupils to the classroom setting, could put at risk the progress that has been made in reducing rates of Covid infection during the lockdown period.”
He added: “The announcement of a planned full return after Easter would suggest that physical distancing requirements currently in place for Senior Phase students may be removed despite the scientific evidence of the need for this mitigation.
“This will place those young people, and their teachers, at significant additional risk of contracting Covid in the run in to qualifications and, frankly, seems a reckless approach to be considering.”
Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of teachers’ union the NASUWT , also expressed his concerns, saying: “It is now absolutely essential the government releases the evidence on which it is relying to make today’s announcement.”
He added: “The Scottish Government risks ploughing ahead with plans for returning pupils to school without ensuring that essential measures are in place to address concerns regarding safety and workload.”