THE Deputy First Minister and Education Secretary John Swinney is to make an emergency statement to Holyrood about the return of pupils to Scotland’s schools.
Nicola Sturgeon confirmed at the daily briefing that Swinney would address MSPs tomorrow about plans for “blended learning” or part time in school learning when children return to the classroom in August.
"The deputy First Minister will make a statement subject to the agreement of the business bureau tomorrow on our next steps on schools. As we have made clear we want to get children back to education on a full time normal basis as quickly as possible," she said.
The First Minister suggested details would be set out including over any "catch up process" for pupils, underlining it was important that full-time education would restart for pupils' both in terms of their learning, their ability to interact with friends and for their mental health.
She added: "The return to full time normal education has to be safe. It also has to take account of the considerations to protect children's physical health and also of their parents and families. Turning that ambition into reality is the hard work of being a government. The deputy First Minister will say more about that tomorrow."
READ MORE: Education Secretary John Swinney spells out the Government's schools strategy
Schools in Scotland closed to all pupils in March though some children of key workers have been able to attend education hubs during the lockdown.
Councils have been drawing up plans on a programme to reopen schools in August with children returning part time to class and working on lessons at home for the rest of the week. Swinney last week said it could take a year for schools to return to normality.
The two-metre social distancing rule in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19 means that a classroom may only be able to accommodate 10 to 15 pupils.
However there have been calls to reduce the rule to one metre – a move which would allow to more pupils to attend school for longer.
Former council education director Keir Bloomer has said: “From an educational perspective, the key point is that any given space can accommodate four times as many people with one-metre distancing as with two. This would allow most classrooms to accommodate a normal-sized class. The educational advantage is, therefore, really substantial.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel