NEU Demands Schools Stay Open for Key and Vulnerable Kids Amid Lockdown
The National Education Union (NEU) insists schools must remain open for the children of key workers and vulnerable young ones during the latest national lockdown – just like back in March.
Experts Warn Schools Fuel Covid Spread
Peter Shreeve, NEU’s Assistant District Secretary, slammed the Government’s approach after new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS):
“It seems self-defeating for the Government to impose a national lockdown, whilst ignoring the role of schools as a major contributor to the spread of the virus. This latest lockdown will impose pain on the whole community – but will not be as effective as it could be without the inclusion of schools. Ignoring the role of schools and colleges in the spread of the virus is likely to lead to the need for even longer lockdowns in future.”
This grim warning was backed on the Andrew Marr Show by Sir Jeremy Farr, director of the Wellcome Trust and SAGE adviser, who said:
“If that transmission particularly in secondary schools continues to rise, then that may have to be revisited in the next four weeks in order to get R below 1 and the epidemic shrinking.”
Calls for Circuit Breaker Ignored, Tougher Measures Loom
The NEU called for a two-week half-term circuit break including school closures. Wales and Northern Ireland have agreed, but Westminster has snubbed the idea.
The ONS’s chilling stats show 1% of primary pupils and 2% of secondary pupils are infected – a sharp rise since schools fully reopened in September.
“There’s a limit to what we can do unless we start to tackle the older years in schools where we know older teenage transmission rates are similar to adults. Jeremy Farr suggested the wearing of masks in secondary schools,” Peter added.
“Prolonging the planned lockdown beyond 2 December would be devastating. We need to avoid that if possible. The Government should include all schools in lockdown plans immediately – and prepare school rotas afterwards. Plus, it must finally deliver on promises to provide broadband and equipment to those without.”
The clock is ticking. Will the Government act before schools push Covid cases even higher?
