UNISON responds to COVID testing plans for English schools

UNISON’s national schools committee has today released a statement in response to the UK government’s announcements of mass testing in secondary schools in England next month, with some of those schools expected to move to online learning from 4 January as classroom returns are staggered to allow the testing regime to be set up. The statement reads: “UNISON believes this is hugely ambitious and that announcing this on the last day of term is jaw-dropping and gives schools very little time to plan. We think that most schools will not be able to deliver this.” UNISON head of education Jon Richards said: “In the afternoon on the last day of term, the government has chosen to dump more work onto schools and their staff. “Schools have spent the last term battered and bruised by constant government flip flops and last-minute, major changes. Now they are supposed to take on another huge, complicated and mostly unknown venture.” He continued: “UNISON is clear that this should not be at the expense of the education of pupils nor the safety of staff – either by increased risk of infection or additional tasks on top of an already crushing workload.” The statement details the committee’s position, which includes the following points: the union supports mass testing in schools to try stop the spread of the virus (on a sensible timetable); any testing site in a school must be fully planned and risk assessed with union engagement; staff should only undertake the t...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article Covid-19 schools Source Type: news