‘Don’t suck on students for Covid outbreaks’

Students should not become “scapegoats” for a wave of Covid outbreaks, says a speaker leader.

Jo Grady of the UCU University Staff Union said it was the “completely predictable” result of encouraging large numbers of students to return.

With universities in England starting the semester, he called for students to be able to study online from home.

The Department of Education says it is supporting universities to have a combination of online and classroom teaching.

In another Covid outbreak, 1,700 students in two accommodation blocks at Manchester Metropolitan University have been told to remain in isolation for 14 days, after some 100 students tested positive.

‘Irresponsible’

The teachers’ union questioned the meaning of “encouraging students to come to the university to isolate themselves for fifteen days.”

Dr Grady said that the strict restrictions on students in Scotland and the increase in warnings for students in England did not mean that the outbreaks were a consequence of “reckless behavior” by students.

Instead, he said the outbreaks were the result of universities pushing for “massive numbers” of students to return to campuses for the “college experience” and sign up for accommodation.

“As far as I’m concerned, they sold poorly,” Dr. Grady told the BBC.

He said it was “irresponsible” for universities to have “attracted students on the basis that they can have a social life at the university and that they can have classroom teaching.”

Rather than bringing more students to England, he said more online teaching should be put in place and students should be able to study from home.

Cancel accommodation

“I think there has to be an alternative to keeping students locked up in absurdly expensive accommodations, rather than having them at home,” Dr. Grady said.

She called for the students to be released from their housing contracts and find a way to safely return home.

Dr. Grady warned of an increasingly chaotic situation at universities and criticized the response of not allowing students to return home from their university accommodation.

He said this was based on a perception of “boarding school” college life, adding that it might be important for some students to be able to go home, for example if they feel homesick or live with people they don’t like or feel threatened. . by.

Dr. Grady wants colleges to reduce face-to-face teaching, but said some colleges were only doing it “surreptitiously,” for fear that “their closest competitor is not doing it.

Most universities expected to deliver lectures online, but it is also believed that some seminars could be “live and interactive” but delivered online.

Liverpool Hope and Liverpool John Moores are among those who have publicly promoted online teaching.

Universities UK says that it is up to each individual university to decide how they will bring students back and if they will switch to online lessons.

The Department of Education said it was working with universities and Public Health England in whatever action was necessary to respond to the Covid outbreaks.

“Protecting the education and well-being of students is vital, which is why we are supporting universities to continue to provide a combination of online and face-to-face learning where possible in a Covid-safe manner,” said a department spokeswoman.

“As with other essential services, education staff must continue to work when necessary.”