Gavin Williamson is facing calls to keep all schools in England closed for the first two weeks of January after the government backtracked on policy unveiled just days ago, announcing all primaries in London would now be shut for the start of the new term.
Dr Mary Bousted, the joint general secretary of the country’s largest education union, accused ministers of a “reckless” attitude in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis and schools, adding: “What is right for London is right for the rest of the country”.
On Saturday the National Education Union (NEU) will also hold an emergency executive meeting to discuss the latest situation, and is expected to issue urgent advice to schools on the proposed reopening in some parts of the country on 4 January.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Dr Bousted, who said she had written to Boris Johnson before Christmas, stressed it was clear the government “have to do something to break the chain of rising level of infection in our community”.
She said: “If we don’t do that, the NHS will become overwhelmed. The danger is that by opening schools as levels of infection are rising so high and are already so high amongst pupils, then we’re not going to break that chain.
“So we said all schools should be closed for the first two weeks and we regret to have to say that… but our fear is if we don’t do something now, they are going to have to be closed for a much longer period later on this month.”
Criticising ministers’ approach to the crisis and schools, she went on: “I also find the government’s recklessness in this regard, both with educational professionals’ health, but also with community health, and the questions increasingly around children’s health, inexplicable.”
Her remarks came after the education secretary announced that all primary and secondary schools will be closed for face-to-face teaching in the capital until the middle of the month following an emergency Cabinet Office meeting that was convened on New Year’s Day.
The government had initially said 50 education authorities in southern England would have their primary schools closed until at least 18 January – except for vulnerable children and those of key workers – but Mr Williamson faced legal action from several London boroughs with high cases who were being asked to reopen schools.
Announcing the U-turn on Friday evening, Mr Williamson described moving further parts of the capital 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,” he said. “We will continue to keep the list of local authorities under review, and reopen classrooms as soon as we possibly can.”
Labour’s shadow education secretary Kate Green said the last-minute nature of the government’s London schools decision had caused “huge stress” for pupils, families and staff.
She said: “This is yet another government U-turn creating chaos for parents just two days before the start of term.
“Gavin Williamson’s incompetent handling of the return of schools and colleges is creating huge stress for parents, pupils, and school and college staff and damaging children’s education.
“This U-turn was needed to provide consistency in London. However, Gavin Williamson must still clarify why some schools in Tier 4 are closing and what the criteria for reopening will be.”
