Answers demanded over why Ross-shire schools failed to open after five-month closure
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HIGHLAND MSP Rhoda Grant is seeking answers over why eight primary schools – four of them in Ross-shire – failed to open today as planned.
Challenges with enhanced cleaning of schools following the coronavirus lockdown back in March has been cited by Highland Council though concerns have been voiced that parents were only told last night.
Mrs Grant said she was alarmed to learn that the affected parents were told late last night after nearly five months of closure due to Covid-19.
"It is not good enough that these parents were issued this news so late in the day and with very short notice find childcare. We know women are worse affected economically by Covid-19 and this does not help. I hope employers will be sympathetic."
She has written to Highland Council and the Scottish Government to seek answers as to why parents were issued this news at such short notice and why these issues could not have been resolved in the summer holidays.
She said: “I know there were issues about guidance regarding school opening but surely Highland Council must have known before 10pm last night that these schools would not open.
"It is not good enough that these parents were issued this news so late in the day and with very short notice find childcare. We know women are worse affected economically by Covid-19 and this does not help. I hope employers will be sympathetic."
She added: “Teachers have done an incredible job of getting ready for the return of pupils to schools, however it is essential that the Scottish Government provide local authorities with whatever it takes for schools to reopen safely and to deliver learning effectively, including funding to employ more teachers and classroom assistants, to rent extra estate, to put on additional transport, and to pay for cleaning.
"If these closures were due to a lack of resources, the blame will lie firmly with the education Secretary and the Scottish Government.
"My heart goes out to the affected parents, who I’m sure were anxious to take this step, and to the children who were excited to begin their new school year."
Highland Council leader Maragret Davidson said today: "We are the local authority with the highest number of schools in the UK. We have 203 schools spread across an area covering one third of Scotland. 96 per cent of our schools have reopened to the first tranche of pupils today in the start of our phased return. Since we received the Scottish Government’s decision at the end of July, our staff have been working incredibly hard to get schools open in line with an agreed phased return of all pupils by 18 August.
“I wish all pupils the very best for their first days back at school. Staff were working hard right up until late last night to get schools open with the exception of just eight rural schools and these should be in a position to open to their first pupils in the next day or two. I am very proud of them all. Enhanced cleaning must be in place in all schools as the safety and wellbeing of children and staff is absolutely paramount.
“We must remember that we are dealing with unprecedented times and exceptional circumstances beyond our control. It has been an astonishing achievement to open 195 schools early and I cannot praise the staff and the senior team highly enough.”
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