Education secretary was
“clearly wrong” to tell the Commons today (Tuesday) that
universities are well prepared to deal with the global pandemic,
said the University and College Union (UCU).
The union said the crisis unfolding on campuses made it clear
that universities were not well prepared and his words were an
insult to staff, students and their parents. The union said,
after disappearing for days while the crisis unfolded, he had to
personally take charge and prioritise the health and safety of
students, staff and local communities.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘What staff, students and
university communities wanted to today was clear instruction that
would keep them safe and protect jobs and students’ education. It
was clearly wrong for the minister to say universities were well
prepared for the crisis and it was an insult to staff, students
and their parents.
‘The absence of ministers in recent days to offer any support to
staff and students has been unacceptable and a shirking of their
most basic responsibilities. We are disappointed that instead of
taking responsibility, the education secretary today followed his
A-level playbook and sought to associate others with his
failings. He is the minister in charge of education and needs to
start taking responsibility.
‘The education secretary needs to tell universities to halt
in-person teaching, stop more students moving onto campus and
issue clear guidance to move as much work as possible online, in
line with other workplaces.
‘He also needs to guarantee funding for universities to safeguard
institutions’ finances and protect jobs. The government should
have made that unambiguous financial commitment at the start of
the pandemic to allow universities to work together.
‘Instead of forcing universities to compete for students and talk
up a student experience that was never likely to be delivered,
the government should have provided the financial security to
allow institutions to properly prepare for this academic year.
‘If universities had been able to spend the summer studying the
science, working collaboratively on a consensus about how and
when to restart, they could have been much better prepared for
this inevitable crisis. The education secretary saying he thinks
they are well prepared sadly does not make it true.’
