Covid lockdown: Schools have to stay closed but at-home learning must improve – Steve Cardownie

The Scottish government’s decision to delay schools re-opening is already attracting criticism from parents and education groups which was entirely predictable.

The parents campaign group UsForThem Scotland has expressed concern saying that “only time will tell the full extent of this decision, but there’s no question that the damage being done to the lives of young people is significant” which is stating the obvious, but the sentiment is no less worrying for that.

The educational impact on pupils is likely to be far reaching and, in some cases, lifelong, if occupational ambitions are thwarted due to school closures and the disruption that materialises as a consequence.

Notwithstanding the economic impact of family members having to take time off work to supervise children (if indeed they are still attending a place of work), pupils who find it difficult to study at home due to a lack of quiet space are at a particular disadvantage.

Schools will have to step up to the mark and ensure that the curriculum is adapted to mitigate obvious educational shortcomings and will have to improve on their sometimes underwhelming attempts to do so during the last lockdown, especially in the state sector.

Yesterday 2,529 new cases of Covid-19 were reported as the variant takes hold throughout communities, so it is difficult to see what else the government could have done faced with the evidence.

As a parent of a school pupil I am obviously concerned about his education but I am also concerned about his health and the people he may have come into contact with.

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