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The government has been urged to prevent students from reaching universities amid fears that teenagers across the UK will be “locked in their rooms” as coronavirus outbreaks force thousands to isolate themselves.
Labor said Secretary of Education Gavin Williamson should consider delaying the start of the fall term until massive Covid-19 testing on campus or remote learning options are available.
The call came after thousands of students in Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh were ordered to self-isolate following outbreaks related to rookie week, with some accusing their university of “false imprisonment.”
Manchester Metropolitan University admitted Sunday that it was unable to prevent students from leaving their accommodation after human rights lawyers questioned the legality of a lockdown imposed by security personnel.
Professor Malcolm Press, vice chancellor of the university, said he was confident that up to 1,700 students confined to the Birley or Cambridge Halls campus would “do the right thing” and abide by government guidelines on self-isolation.
He claimed that it would be “unfair to students” if the new academic year were delayed or canceled, adding: “The government places a high priority on universities remaining open and providing high-quality education.”
But Labor’s parallel education secretary Kate Green suggested a delay was necessary to ensure that students had adequate remote learning and coronavirus testing.
He also asked the education secretary to promise that students would not be prevented from traveling home at Christmas.
“Universities have done their best to prepare for the safe return of students, but the government has not done its part,” Green said in a letter to Gavin Williamson. “He let the youngsters down with the testing fiasco over the summer and now many of those same students are being let down again. These young men deserve better than their incompetence.”
Green added: “It is unthinkable that students are locked in their rooms and unable to return home to spend Christmas with their families. The government must promise that this will not happen and work with universities so that all students can access evidence that can safely travel home.
“” The government should also consider a delay in the start of the course or a pause in migration for universities where the course has not yet begun to allow for improvements in testing capacity and the provision of remote learning.
“Gavin Williamson must urgently go to Parliament and lay out how he will resolve the critical situation at our universities that is causing so much anxiety for families across the country.”
Shadow Attorney General David Lammy also called on the government to fix its “pathetic” test-and-trace program to allow students to return home for Christmas.
He added: “Students have finished their A-Levels, they have finished rookie week, the government is now threatening to lock them up in college. We want the young people to be home with their families for Christmas and they need the tests to make sure. that that can happen. ”
Union leaders said their warnings to Manchester Metropolitan University managers “went unheeded” before the coronavirus outbreak among at least 127 students prompted the city council to impose the closure on Friday night.
Hours later, as students put up posters criticizing Boris Johnson and compared their residences to a prison, human rights lawyers wondered if local authorities and universities had the legal authority to lock students in their rooms.
A Liverpool-based company offered its services “pro bono” to challenge the decision, amid claims that the restrictions could amount to false imprisonment.
The students said they were “scared and confused” after police showed up at the gates and security guards refused to let them go out to buy food.
Since then, the university has been committed to supporting all residents left in the affected hallways, including food deliveries from Asda.
Meanwhile, heads of universities in Glasgow and Edinburgh faced criticism for banning students from returning home or visiting pubs and restaurants after a series of cases.
He prompted the Scottish government to publish an updated guide allowing students to “change homes” and return home from study accommodation.
Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said: “We know that many students may be struggling with the prospect of not being able to return home to visit family and other support networks, especially if it is the first time in their life that they are out of home.
“Knowing what to consider when deciding whether to return home will help support wellness and allow students to make informed decisions, but it is important to emphasize that adjusting to life outside the home is always challenging.”
The government has rejected calls to delay the students’ return to university after unions described the situation as “chaotic”.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden accepted that he said the beginning of the fall semester “was not as it would be” due to the crisis, but said that students should pay tuition fees while being taught.
He also insisted that students had “clear guidelines to follow”, as he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr program: “Young people have paid a huge price during this crisis and I think it is only fair to try to get them back.”
A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said: “The government is working closely with universities to ensure they are well prepared for the return of students, and we have published a guide to help them keep students and staff as safe. possible”.
“We will continue to monitor the situation very closely and follow the advice of Public Health England, adapting policies to best support students and providers.”
