Former education secretary David Blunkett has said he is “deeply critical” of the teaching unions’ response to suggestions that primary schools could return from as early as 1 June.
Lord Blunkett made the remarks on the BBC Today programme after Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU teaching union, referred to the Department for Education’s chief scientific adviser Osama Rahman’s comments yesterday that there was a “low degree of confidence” that children transmit Covid-19 less than adults.
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Dr Bousted pointed out that Mr Rahman had admitted to MPs on the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee that reopening schools could spread the coronavirus, and that teachers were being asked to return to work on the basis of “draft” scientific evidence.
Yesterday evening, Mr Rahman issued a “clarification” of his comments and said he had “full confidence” in the plan to reopen schools.
Lord Blunkett said he was “surprised” at the attitude of the teaching unions towards schools reopening.
“I’m being deeply critical of the attitude…It’s about how can we work together to make it work as safely, not 100 per cent as safely, as possible. Anyone who works against that, in my view, is working against the interests of children,” he said.
He also suggested that there were wide disparities in the kind of provision schools were offering during the lockdown, and said the greatest impact would be on disadvantaged children.
“The children of the highly educated, of the well off, of the better informed, have been getting some form of education over the last few weeks - while the children of the most disadvantaged, it’s only one in seven of the most vulnerable children actually getting educated,” he said.
“So we’ve got a vast swathe of youngsters with varying degrees of online teaching, some children actually getting nothing, some teachers really pulling themselves out to make this work and to be there for the children, and other schools which are not, and if we’re not clear about this, it’s the children and the future that we will let down.”
Speaking to Tes, Dr Bousted said the unions were taking a responsible position.
“As soon as it’s safe to reopen schools we want to do so, we’re acutely aware that it’s not good for children’s education, and teachers and leaders have strained every nerve and worked really hard to support children during this period,” she said.
“But they’ve not been on furlough - they’ve been working providing learning materials for children, ringing around, checking that they’re safe, delivering school meals, providing all the services which schools provide so well and trying to arrange online lessons and trying their best to support children at home.
“We want schools to reopen as soon as possible but we want them to open when they are safe, and saying that is not irresponsible - it is a responsible position.”
