By Teachers will not play a part in student mass testing, officials confirm
Following yesterday’s (Thursday) announcement, it has been confirmed that teachers will not have to play a role in coronavirus testing in schools, a minister has stated, amid confusion over how pupils will return after Christmas.
Schools minister, Nick Gibb, said:
“Teachers are already fully occupied…they already have their hands full”.
This is following the government announcement yesterday regarding the staggered return of secondary school and college pupils in the first week of January.
Students set to take exams will go back as normal after Christmas, but the majority of those in secondary school will begin the term with online learning.
Primary school pupils will also go back to school as normal in January, alongside vulnerable pupils and key workers’ children.
Face-to-face education for all students will return on the 11th of January, 2021.
The plan is to utilise the staggered return to allow schools to roll out mass testing of the children and staff – but the announcement seemed to come as a surprise to headteachers, who have expressed concern about late notice and lack of clarity.
Dr Mary Bousted of the National Education Union (NEU) said the announcement:
“Demonstrates ministerial panic, rather than rational and responsible action in response to the exponential rise in COVID-19 infection rates amongst secondary school pupils”.
She added:
“We are writing to Gavin Williamson today with a series of urgent questions about the announcement”.
Chairwoman of the PAC, Meg Hillier, said it was “ludicrous” that in the final days of term, many parents and headteachers did not know what would be happening when schools return in a few weeks.
