Responding to the announcement by the Prime Minister that all
pupils are to return to schools and colleges from March 8, Dr
Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT-The Teachers’
Union, said:
“The Prime Minister has stated that it is his priority to get all
pupils back to school and college. However, re-opening schools
and colleges fully on 8 March is one thing; keeping them open and
preventing the need for further national restrictions is quite
another.
“The Government’s failure to demonstrate that it has taken full
account of the scientific evidence to support its decision on
full reopening risks undermining the confidence of the public and
those working in schools and colleges.
“It is vital that the Government recognises that it has already
lost the trust of many teachers and needs to do much more to win
the confidence of a profession that has continued, throughout the
pandemic, to deliver everything that has been asked of them.
“Although the rollout of the vaccination programme is going well,
it is hugely regrettable and frustrating that the Government has
continued to refuse to prioritise education staff in the
vaccination programme. Vaccinating education staff would send a
clear message that the Government is taking seriously the
concerns of the profession and demonstrating a genuine commitment
to limiting the risk of further disruption to children’s
education.
“Vaccinating education staff can be done now if there is the
political will to do so. There is simply no excuse and no reason
to not do so.
“We have long argued for a competent system of test, trace and
isolate. However, the decision to provide mass testing for
secondary age pupils whilst not doing so for pupils of primary
age will not help to win confidence. The Government has the means
to move immediately to extending testing to primary school pupils
and their families and they should commit to doing so as a
priority.
“We will be examining carefully the Government’s latest guidance
for schools and colleges. With new and more transmissible Covid
variants identified, the Government has to recognise the need for
stronger workplace mitigations and control measures which are
mandatory and backed up by effective enforcement and inspection.
This would play a key role in winning the trust and confidence of
many parents and the workforce in schools and colleges.
“Effective ventilation monitoring and ensuring that classrooms
are not overcrowded is vital if schools and colleges are to
ensure that they are safe for pupils and staff.
“Whilst it is vital that the Government monitors the impact of
fully opening schools and the effect on community transmissions,
they must also review the number of education staff and pupils
who contract the virus and publish the evidence.
“The Government has made a further U-turn over the mandatory use
of face masks in secondary schools. However, we remain concerned
that no such additional safety mitigations are currently proposed
for those staff working in primary and special school settings.
“The NASUWT will be reminding all school and college employers
that, irrespective of the Government’s guidance, the
responsibility for safety in law rests with them and the Union
will not hesitate to take action where any school or college
employer deploys members when it is in breach of its statutory
duties and obligations.
“Where schools are in breach of the Government’s guidance or
their legal health and safety and equalities duties, it also
essential that robust action is taken, including prosecutions
where necessary.
“The NASUWT will be continuing to press the Government to
demonstrate that plans for reopening of schools and colleges will
not compromise the safety of teachers, staff or pupils.”
