Criticism has been levelled at the Scottish Government from parents, councils and unions across the north and north-east over its handling of plans to return children to full-time schooling.
In a major U-turn, education secretary John Swinney unveiled plans for a return to full-time schooling by August, after claiming the government had been left “surprised” at the decline of the virus since May.
It comes just weeks after Mr Swinney set local authorities the task of creating their own plans for children to be at school part-time from August.
Aberdeen City Council’s education convener, John Wheeler, welcomed the announcement, adding he was “glad the Scottish Government had finally listened to the pleas of parents up and down the country to try to get children back into education”.
He said: “The details of this remain to be seen so I think we will want to see what comes out in the coming months.”
Mr Wheeler praised teaching staff for being “absolutely dedicated” to the job and for the support they offered the young people they work for.
But added: “Clearly had this announcement been made earlier it may have taken some of the pressure off.
“Staff were having to turn around these plans in what was a pretty tight timescale.”
Mark Gunn, chairman of Highland Parent Council Partnership, said education seemed to have been left as a “second thought” in government planning, adding that a decision could have been reached sooner.
He said: “Most parents will welcome kids going back to school.
“It’s disappointing that this announcement wasn’t made a month ago, when it could have been.
“A lot of teachers and headteachers have done a lot of work trying to sort out what it would look like with limited staff and social distancing.
“It doesn’t take the brains of a rocket scientist to work out if we were seeing hospitality and other things reopening in July, that measures for schools needed to be August.
“It must be desperately frustrating for teachers and schools to go through this.”
It’s disappointing that this announcement wasn’t made a month ago, when it could have been.”
Mark Gunn, chairman of Highland Parent Council Partnership
The announcement leaves “very little time” before schools break up to create new plans, Susan Slater, Moray branch secretary for the EIS union argues.
She said: “Clearly time will be needed for schools to prepare for the return in August, as we have been working on plans based on two-metre distancing.
“The announcement today leaves very little time before we break up for the summer holidays and any plans going forward must ensure the safety of pupils and all staff within Moray school communities.”
The union has called for safety measures to be introduced in schools before they reopen, including mandatory face coverings, protective perspex shields, proactive testing of teachers and an appropriate level of physical distancing between pupils and between pupils and staff.
EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan, said: “A great deal of work at school level has already gone into planning for a blended learning model from August 11, so any change to that will require time to adjust plans and conduct revised risk assessments. Again, this will need to be subject to discussion and agreement.”
Meanwhile, Unison’s Scottish Secretary, Mike Kirby, claimed that given the “lack of scientific evidence”, the decision had been “driven more by politics than by safety”.
He added: “Education budgets were already squeezed before the pandemic hit.
“While the Scottish Government’s pledge of £100 million over the next two years to support children with their lost learning is to be welcomed, schools also face increased practical costs to implement the required safety measures.
“It is vital the Scottish Government steps up and provides local authorities with the additional funding urgently needed to ensure that schools can open safely whenever science shows the time is right.”
Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin welcomed the plan to return to full-time schooling but stressed this was “contingent on continuing to suppress this virus”.
She added: “This is an important step not only in ensuring our young people get the education they deserve, but it’s also positive news for working families.
“I want to send my gratitude to our amazing teachers and school staff in Aberdeenshire, who have helped us get to this stage and have worked enormously hard to put robust contingency plans in place. Plans I hope we’ll not have to use.”
However, Moray MP Douglas Ross claimed the voices of parents, charities and politicians had “forced” the sudden change in policy.
He said: “While there is a caveat that the virus has to continue to be suppressed for these plans to be enacted, we have seen positive signs with this, and I am hopeful that children can return to school and get back to learning in the classroom from early August.”
Councillor John Finlayson, chairman of Highland Council’s education committee, said the announcement of a full return to school for all pupils if it is safe to do so is “welcome news for everyone”.
He said: “The education of our young people is extremely important in terms of their educational, mental and social development, as well as their future opportunities and outcomes.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our school staff and our parents and pupils for their hard work and collaboration throughout the period of lockdown, and especially over recent weeks when they have been developing plans to return pupils to school taking account of the rules that are currently in place. It has been a very difficult time in many ways for all.
“The safety of our children, our young people and all our staff has been paramount in all our preparations for return to school, which include detailed planning and risk assessments. Safety will of course remain a top priority.”
