Commenting on the announcement of step 4 changes to Covid
restrictions in schools, Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary
of the National Education Union, said:
“Schools and colleges are doing everything they can to keep young
people and the wider community safe. We must seriously question
the wisdom of the Government's decision to take away so many
safety measures.
“These mitigations are being removed at a time when cases are
rising, school outbreaks are at the highest level all year and
rising sharply, and children remain unvaccinated and at risk of
transmitting the virus and suffering Long Covid themselves.
“The Government should publish the results of its trials on daily
contact testing as an alternative to self-isolation before
changing the system. It should also provide support to schools to
organise testing in the autumn term, not leave this burden on
already overstretched school and college staff. It would be
eminently sensible to bring in Public Health England to organise
this work.
“Measures to maintain and improve ventilation by providing air
filters and CO2 monitors could be quickly and easily introduced
but have instead been ignored. Other simple safety measures such
as wearing face masks when moving around the school have been
ignored as well.
“The Government must also respond to the crisis of Long Covid by
confirming that it recognises the condition as a disability and
provide support to those employees affected by Long Covid.
"Gavin Williamson has asked school and college leaders to be
patient in their wait for guidance, but it is simply not good
enough to leave so much unresolved when so little of the summer
term remains. The education secretary promised heads full clarity
the moment step 4 of the roadmap was reached, so there will be
considerable anger and concern if he does not make good on his
word.
"This is not a Government which oversees, but one which
overlooks. It has failed to take account of the alarming
deterioration in self-testing numbers among school-age children,
dropping from 60% in mid-March to just 15% today. The decision to
remove requirements for masks in secondary classrooms from
mid-May has led to a significant rise in cases of which
Government appears oblivious.
"This is neglectful and reckless decision-making, when schools
and colleges quite obviously need the backing of Government to
ensure their workplace remains safe.
"The NEU has always said that we should hope for the best but
plan for the worst, and base decisions on the science and the
data. The Government appears to have no concern for other
eventualities, pinning everything on hope. Schools and colleges
have been through this several times before and leaders will be
appalled that yet again so little is being done to support them."
