A last-minute change of covid school testing by the UK government that requires every secondary school to run their own tests has angered teachers’ unions.
In a joint statement from teachers’ unions and the National Government Associations, they indicated that schools should not be placed in a position where they feel they are under pressure to carry out the testing. The statement indicated that the new government directive was hastily made and the schools do not have adequate time to prepare to test all the students returning back from the Christmas holidays.
The covid school testing plan has also been criticized for being inconsiderate to students. Teachers’ unions argued that it was a last-minute call by the government that will see teachers returning back to schools early and cutting their Christmas holidays to prepare for school reopenings and testing.
The Association of Colleges and the Church of England education services also criticized the program calling it chaotic and rushed and supported the efforts by the teachers’ unions around the country. They also indicate that the plan was inoperable for most schools and colleges and also noted that the directive from the Department of Education was not a requirement for schools but an offer.
General secretary of the ASCL headteachers’ union Geoff Barton noted that the timeframe provided by the government was not realistic for teachers to be recruited and trained on how to test over the Christmas period.
The covid school testing plan
The covid school testing plan released by the government would require students who are yet to take their exams, years 11 and 13, to return first for face to face teaching. The rest of the students would continue with online learning.
The plan would also require other students to return to schools for in-person learning in the coming weeks.
The government has promised to make the covid school testing a national effort that will be supported by the Ministry of Defense and the testing costs of agency staff covered. They indicated that their aim was to test 5.5 million students twice, three days apart to ensure that they break the spread of coronavirus, especially as the students return back from holidays where they have mingled with other family members that might have the virus.
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