Bak 2 Skool

By Tim Le Couilliard, Newgate Public Affairs

“Education, Education, Education,” the famous words said by Tony Blair when setting out the priorities for his administration back in 1996. Fast forward to today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has echoed his predecessor’s sentiment, saying that “nothing will have a greater effect on the life chances of our children than returning to school,” imploring parents to send their children back to classrooms.  

Pupils in key year groups today have returned to schools in Northern Ireland for the start of their autumn term with schools in Scotland already back. English and Welsh schools are set to go back in September and so a major government communication campaign has begun to reassure parents, pupils and teachers that it is safe to do so. 

A number of government spokespeople have been doing the rounds following the publishing of a new Public Health England study this weekend. The study found that of the more than one million children who attended schools in England in June, 70 children and 128 staff were infected in outbreaks of the virus.  The Prime Minister, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty and others have all made appearances citing the study and thus declaring that it is safe to return. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has yet to be interviewed today, but perhaps his presence has been deemed unhelpful at this time.

Citing comments previously made by Professor Whitty, Johnson today released a video stating that the risk of catching coronavirus in school was “very small and it is far more damaging for a child's development and their health and wellbeing to be away from school any longer.” Johnson said that the risk of contracting coronavirus at school was “very small” and he thanked teachers for their commitment over the summer in making schools “covid-secure”. 

Whilst measures are being put in place, Johnson has stopped short of calling for pupils to wear face masks. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has begun a review on whether children over the age of 12 should wear masks, following new guidance from the WHO. In England, however, the government is concerned that masks would hinder communication between teacher and student. Of course, this is the same government that earlier in the pandemic saw no reason to mandate facemasks in any setting, so this guidance could still change.