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The planned reopening of schools in England has turned into chaos, as unions advised teachers not to return to the classroom, principals took legal action on government plans, and Conservatives warned that the doors of schools are to be closed for the next several weeks.
With warnings that some elementary principals would arrive at work on Monday morning unsure whether they could reopen to students, teachers accused the government of making the school’s reopening “a total disaster” and demanded a last-ditch delay. time. Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, was also facing fresh calls to resign due to the chaos.
There is a growing demand this weekend for teachers to have faster access to the Covid vaccine and for schools to get more military aid to test students safely and reliably. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), told the Observer: “The people I represent will go to their schools and universities on Monday without knowing precisely what staff they may or may not have. There is great uncertainty. It may well be that there are many school leaders who write to parents saying, ‘We don’t know what we can do on Monday, your children shouldn’t come.’
“It is obvious to all that the government has made a total mess of the arrangements for the start of the spring period with late and confusing communications, and the lack of a clear scientific justification.”
Some conservatives believe that a delay may be necessary until the February semester. Jeremy Hunt, former health secretary, said: “It is hugely risky to open schools when so many parts of the NHS are on the edge of the abyss. The economic and human impact of keeping them closed is severe, but so is the impact of thousands of additional totally preventable deaths. So I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up effectively keeping most of the schools closed through the February semester. “
The fallout for teachers was fueled by the revelation last week that the government’s Emergencies Scientific Advisory Group had warned ministers that it was “highly unlikely” the pandemic could be brought under control if schools opened this week.
The National Education Union (NEU) warns elementary school staff that it is not safe to go to classrooms on Monday, when most are scheduled to return. The measure will force some schools to switch to online learning for the majority of their students. The union said Saturday that all elementary and secondary schools should be closed for two weeks after the Christmas break. The NASUWT teachers union and ASCL have also called for a temporary nationwide shift to remote education for the vast majority of students.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Directors (NAHT) and the ASCL have taken legal action against the government, demanding that it disclose the security tests for its reopening schedule, given the increased transmissibility of the new Covid variant. Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: “Directors are in an impossible situation. The government’s simplistic approach to ‘open school doors’ or ‘closed school doors’ means they are paralyzed. It will be a difficult couple of days. We hope that the government brings clarity as soon as possible this weekend, or early next week. “
The crisis is putting further pressure on Williamson, who faced calls to resign over his handling of exams last summer. It has already reversed its decision that primary schools in some parts of London should open on Monday. Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, said: “Now there is no question that Williamson is the worst education secretary of a generation. Since March, this government has continually failed our children and youth, at enormous cost to their future. He must go. “
Barton said: “A lot of people in school and college leadership know that they have to be held accountable for what they do, and that if they lost the trust of their staff to the extent that I believe the secretary of state has lost the trust of the profession, they would definitely be considering their own positions. There is an alternative. Check this out, work with the profession, and get it done quickly. “
The government now hopes that schools and universities will have fully reopened as of January 18. Most of the primaries in England are due to reopen from Monday, except for those in local authorities called “contingency framework areas” with high rates of Covid transmission. Secondary English students in exam years are scheduled to return to schools from January 11, while the other groups of courses will be taught remotely.
Bernard Jenkin, a Conservative MP who has been pushing for more military aid for testing in schools, said: “I’m afraid Gavin Williamson hasn’t handled it well. Schools need a break. They should never have been asked to take charge of testing in schools. Keeping colleges and schools closed for a few more weeks can be a price well worth paying so that we can focus on getting the vaccine, rather than having a health service crisis. We could be looking at mid-February for schools going back now. “
Robert Halfon, Conservative Chairman of the Education Selection Committee, called for more military involvement to improve school testing and vaccinations for teachers. “We have to decide as a nation, are children our number one priority or not?” David Davis, a former Conservative cabinet minister, said teachers with special educational needs should receive a “special waiver” for an early vaccination.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “We want classrooms to reopen whenever possible in the new period.
“We will move to remote education as a last resort, with the involvement of public health officials, in areas where infection and pressures on the NHS are highest.”
