Commenting on new advice sent to
schools today ahead of further relaxing of safety measures from 1
April, Dr Mary
Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education
Union,
said:
"Measures are being relaxed at a time
when Covid cases are surging in schools and colleges.
This makes no sense. We have repeatedly urged the Government to
continue with free testing across society, including in all
education settings, but these calls have been
ignored.
"Not only will schools no longer be
able to access supplies of test kits but they are even being
advised to not even hand out existing stock to staff or pupils
from 1 April. With exams looming this is very poor
timing. Schools needs clarity but instead the DfE is saying
that adults ‘with symptoms of a respiratory infection and with a
high temperature’ should ‘try to stay at home’, until they no
longer have a high temperature, with no reference to other
symptoms, including a cough. Children who are ‘unwell and
have a high temperature’ should stay at home until they no longer
have a high temperature. Adults who do test positive are being
advised to ‘try to stay at home’ for five days and children
for three days. This confusing guidance is a recipe for
even more chaos and will make managing cases and preventing
disruption even harder than it already
is."
