The Isle of Wight Green Party calls for the closure of schools during the national lockdown, but home support for parents and pupils is vitally important.
Youth and Student Officer for the Isle of Wight Green Party, Cameron Palin, said,
“We must listen to the science. Infection rates in secondary schools have quadrupled since returning in September and it is inexcusable that the government is arguing the case to keep schools open during a national lockdown.
“Members of the Government’s SAGE have said if we want to drive down infection during this four-week lockdown then closing schools will dramatically decrease the spread of the virus. Having bubbles of between 30/60 in primary schools, 200+ in secondary schools and a similar number of pupils in college and sixth forms undermines the principle and aim of a national lockdown.”
Cameron went on to say,
“If the government wanted get the economy and people’s lives back to normal as quick as possible then we need to close schools now, for them to be included in the four-week lockdown and when they return to be on a rota basis system.”
He finished by saying,
“The government should have acted sooner and their indecisiveness has led to a higher infection rate, so now is the next best opportunity to suppress the spread of the virus and protect as many lives as possible.
“We understand some families may struggle with having children at home during term-time, so it is important that support is in place for families which would needed to be fully supported and funded by department for education. It is also vitally important remote working is fully enabled by schools for all pupils if/when all schools close and when schools finally return following the national lockdown it’s important they return on a rota basis.”
