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‘Serially incompetent’ Williamson must explain ‘shambolic’ announcement on reopening of schools

LABOUR has demanded that “serially incompetent” Gavin Williamson answer the dozens of outstanding questions from parents and teachers following his “shambolic” announcement on the reopening of schools.

The Education Secretary said that he is “absolutely confident” there will be no further delays to school re-openings after soaring coronavirus case rates forced the government  to push back the start of term for millions of pupils.

Mr Williamson said that the newly rescheduled staggered return dates for England would remain in place, despite concerns about safety and transmission rates among younger people.

The U-turn, just days before the start of the new term, was described as a “last-minute mess” by teachers, who accused the government of failing to heed warnings from school leaders that remote learning may need to be introduced.

Teaching unions have also raised serious concerns over testing plans for pupils and the readiness of schools to administer them.

Labour shadow education secretary Kate Green said: “Gavin Williamson’s cavalier approach to children’s education has put the life chances of a generation at risk.

“He must end the serial incompetence and urgently clarify how many schools are closing, how many more are at risk, and provide a clear path to reopening for all schools affected.

“With just four days to go parents and pupils are confused about the start of term, with dedicated school and college staff again being left to pick up the pieces. Parents, pupils and staff deserve better.”

NASUWT union general secretary Dr Patrick Roach said reliance on military support was “not a credible way to deliver a robust and reliable programme of mass testing” at schools.

He said the government “is in danger of misleading” parents and the public in believing it has a system of mass testing whilst it is putting the responsibility onto thousands of individual schools and colleges. 

National Education Union joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “Serious questions have to be asked about the government’s plans for lateral flow testing in secondary schools and the readiness of schools and colleges to be able to get a system in place by January 11 to administer them.”

He warned that there are also questions on the effectiveness of these tests in identifying Covid-19 infection in young people who are highly likely to be asymptomatic, with the tests being supervised by non-medically trained volunteers.

The University and College Union (UCU) warned that the government’s plans for college and university students to resume in-person learning through lateral testing were “doomed to fail.”

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “We now seem to be hurtling towards a national disaster, with the NHS about to be overwhelmed, but the government is wedded to using lateral flow tests to get students back onto campuses. 

“Keeping learning online until Easter would help lower rates of transmission and ensure a consistent learning experience, but the government continues to be fixated on forcing students and staff into lecture theatres and classrooms.  

“The lateral flow tests, which the government is relying on for a return to in-person teaching in colleges and universities miss an alarming number of people with Covid-19.

“Plans to use them to return to in-person teaching seem doomed to fail. One or two tests at the start of term will not be enough, and a regime of continuous testing in every university presents far too many logistical challenges.”

Ms Grady said the government’s “half measures will not bring the virus under control” and called for it to urge university students to stay where they are and release them from their accommodation contracts. 

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