By Calls on PM to close all schools following government U-turn
Boris Johnson is facing calls to close every school in England after a government U-turn which means all primary schools in London will remain shut next week.
A union leader claimed what was right for London was right for the rest of the country and called on ministers to “do their duty” and close all primary and secondary schools to contain the new, more transmittable strain of coronavirus.
The demand from joint general secretary of the National Education Union, Mary Bousted, came after Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, bowed under pressure to close all primary schools in London.
Following protests and threats of legal action by local authorities, Mr Williamson also signalled more schools outside London could close by admitting that the list of closures is being kept under review.
The Department for Education released a list including 22 of London’s 32 boroughs where COVID-19 infection rates were highest and whose primary schools would be closed to most pupils for the first two weeks of term.
However, to the fury of council leaders, headteachers and MPs of all parties, the government’s list included some boroughs where transmission rates were relatively low and omitted others where the rates were high.
Now, after the latest U-turn, primary schools in all 32 London boroughs will be closed to all but vulnerable children and those of critical workers.
Announcing this, Mr Williamson said:
“Children’s education and wellbeing remains a national priority”.
“Moving further parts of London to remote education really is a last resort and a temporary solution”.
“As infection rates rise across the country, and particularly in London, we must make this move to protect our country and the NHS”.
“We will continue to keep the list of local authorities under review, and reopen classrooms as soon as we possibly can”.
The National Education Union has called an emergency meeting of its executive on Monday to discuss the schools crisis.
Teachers’ union leader, NASUWT general secretary, Dr Patrick Roach, said:
“Yet again, parents, pupils and staff are having to deal with the consequences of yet more last-minute chaotic announcements from the government”.
“In just a matter of days, the government’s plans for the safe reopening of schools are unravelling”.
“All teachers, education staff and pupils, irrespective of where they live, work or are educated, deserve the same levels of protection in the face of this highly deadly and highly contagious virus”.
Backing this statement, Labour’s shadow education secretary, Kate Green, stated:
“This is yet another government U-turn creating chaos for parents just two days before the start of term”.
