Council’s urged to intervene on school holidays
Teaching union blasts Swinney
Scotland’s biggest teaching union has called on West Lothian Council to intervene after John Swinney announced there would be no extension to the school holidays.
The Courier reported last week how the school teachers union, the EIS, wanted West Lothian schools to be shut down during level four lockdown.
Now, the union is pushing for a period of blended learning in the new year when the pupils restart after the holidays in West Lothian.
They worry that a third wave of Covid-19 early in the new year will put teachers in real danger and asked for a period of home learning to help stop virus transmission.
The education secretary, John Swinney, announced last week that all school holidays would remain as scheduled.
However, the EIS say that West Lothian’s school holidays run differently from most other councils so exceptions can and should be made.
They believe that West Lothian Council has the authority to override the
Scottish Government’s decision and are now calling on them to do so.
Heather Hughes, the EIS vice- president, and secretary for West Lothian, said: “The EIS position has not changed.
“We feel that blended/ remote learning should be implemented when a council is at level four.
“The announcement does not affect West Lothian as much as other councils, many of them not finishing until December 23.
“We finish on the 18th anyway so wouldn’t have been looking to close earlier than our existing holiday start date of December 18.
“Our worry remains the almost certain third wave which will come after the relaxation of the indoor mixing rules for the five days over Christmas.
“We really wanted to have the two and a half days of remote learning from January 6 to 8 as a precaution and a means of virus transmission control.
“Without this we feel that more young people and staff will end up self- isolating early into the new term.
“The council has the right to make the decision, and I’m really hoping that they will, if the coronavirus infection numbers around the end of December justify that move for a short time to remote learning.
“This is to protect young people and all school staff and still allows learning to take place.”
West Lothian Council say they will continue to follow the advice of the Scottish Government.
A spokesperson said: “Following last week’s announcement from the Scottish Government, our Christmas school holiday dates remain as planned.
“Schools will close on Friday, December 18, and reopen to pupils on Wednesday, January 6.
“Should the national advice change, we will inform parents as quickly as possible.”