CONCERNS have been raised about the Welsh Government's plan to allow Schools in Wales to decide on their own coronavirus rules – including facemasks and self-isolation.
On Monday, Wales' education minister Jeremy Miles said there was a need for a “more localised approach rather than a blanket approach”, with interventions based on the prevalence of the virus in particular communities.
A “national framework” will be published by the Welsh Government to guide education settings in easing or escalating rules depending on a low, medium, or high risk of harm to learners and staff when they return in September.
All Welsh schools, colleges and universities currently follow set national guidance, despite the number of Covid-19 cases in the country varying between regions.
But the headteachers union NAHT Cymru said it was concerned at “several aspects” of the Welsh government’s plans, including a “plan to do away with class bubbles” but retain a requirement for schools to identify close contacts of pupils
The union’s director Laura Doel said: “For self-isolation purposes, schools would be expected to provide intelligence to the contact tracers at Public Health Wales.
“This would include knowing who they were near in school as well as when being dropped-off and picked up.
“Welsh government needs to be realistic about what is actually possible here.”
Meanwhile, the Welsh Conservatives said the government was looking to “pass the buck and responsibility for decision-making” on to the education sector.
Shadow education minister Laura Anne Jones said: “The immediate priority should be the return of normality to the classroom, with an end to whole year groups being sent home, and ensuring young people receive the sort of constructive learning environment they need.
“We can’t afford for whole communities to be left behind thanks to a postcode lottery in education provision, and Labour ministers need to show leadership on this issue, and not pass the buck and responsibility for decision-making on to staff and schools that are already under enormous pressure.”
Mr Miles said plans to scrap classroom bubbles were to ensure only a "proportionate" number of children have to self-isolate when a coronavirus case is recorded in a school or college.
He said discussions were taking place with the education sector, pupils and parents to put in place plans to avoid having "a disproportionate number of learners self-isolating".
Meanwhile, places in like Flintshire and Denbighshire here in North Wales have the highest seven-day rate – with more than 100 cases per 100,000 people.
On Monday, the number of school pupils self-isolating in Wrexham because of the coronavirus was 1,900 - a a rise of just under 600 compared to the amount of youngsters forced to stay at home reported by Wrexham Council on Friday, June 25.
In Flintshire, around 1,100 school pupils are currently self-isolating following the rise in coronavirus cases in the area.
Flintshire Council has reported a total of 60 new Covid-19 cases across 24 schools since Monday, June 21, which in some cases has caused entire year groups to be sent home.
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