A COUNTY Durham MP has taken aim at the “poor” and “pitiful” action that the government has taken to protecting school children across the region when it comes to Covid-19 measures.  

Labour representative for City of Durham, Mary Kelly Foy, has branded the response to the Omicron variant in schools within her constituency as “woefully inadequate” after claiming that some Durham schools only found out about the new regulations a day before returning from the Winter break.

From Tuesday (January 4), new restrictions within schools were reintroduced to prevent the spread of Covid-19, which staff and students in secondary schools in England required to wear masks in communal areas, test twice a week and continue to ventilate classrooms.

Read more: Teachers in the North East angered by 'last minute' Covid measures

Despite the government bringing in the raft of measures before children returned from the Christmas holidays, Ms Foy has now accused ministers and Conservative MPs of “sitting on their hands” and not preventing a disruption to children in the classroom.

She said: “We are two years into a global pandemic and yet two separate Education Secretaries have continually sat on their hands, failed to get ahead of the virus, and ensure that our children’s teaching is not continually disrupted by Covid.  

“Covid presents a serious challenge in classrooms, however, scientists, health experts and teaching unions have continually stressed the need to improve ventilation in classrooms, and to vaccinate pupils at pace. On both counts the Government has dithered. 

The Northern Echo: Ms Foy has called on the government to pump more funding into education and protecting students during the Covid-19 pandemic.Ms Foy has called on the government to pump more funding into education and protecting students during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Back in July I raised the pressing need for improved ventilation and installation of air purifiers in our schools with the then Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, while also writing to Durham County Council in August to ask that our local authority take a lead in this area. 

“The Government decided against this course of action, instead recommending windows be left open, however during a visit to a local primary school last year, the Headteacher informed me the additional cost to her school to provide warmth to pupils while windows were open amounted to £10,000.

“That is money which could be spent on invaluable additional staff and resources that many schools are crying out for.”

The Northern Echo: Mask wearing, regular testing and ventilation are all regulations reintroduced into schools by the government recently. Mask wearing, regular testing and ventilation are all regulations reintroduced into schools by the government recently.

As well as focusing on ventilation and the “lack of action”, the City of Durham MP has also attacked the government’s announcement that 7000 air purifiers will be available for the 20,000 schools in England; calling the move “frustrating”.

The MP added: “As recently as December the Government confirmed that not one penny would be made available to improve ventilation in schools.

“The latest announcement that the Government will provide only 7000 air purifiers across our countries 20,000 schools is not a serious response to the scale of this challenge and I have, today, written to the Secretary of State demanding to know how many of the 7000 air purifiers have been allocated to schools in County Durham. 

Read more: Secondary schools asked to provide Covid testing facility as new term begins

“Headteachers, teachers, school staff and parents and carers have contacted me, seriously concerned about Government inaction. 

“As a society we simply cannot afford to not invest in these vital measures that will ensure education and life chances of children and young people are not further impacted by the pandemic.” 

Ms Foy’s comments come after education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, insisted that teachers must remain with face-to-face lessons, despite admitting that staff absences are likely to rise.

The Northern Echo: Education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, has said that the need to introduce consistency for schoolchildren is vital.Education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, has said that the need to introduce consistency for schoolchildren is vital.

Speaking yesterday (January 5), Mr Zahawi said: “We must do everything we can, everything in our power to keep all education and childcare settings open and teaching in-person.”

Outlining measures for schools in England as the new term begins, the minister added: “Schools will be suffering some degree of staff absences.

“At the end of last year, the figure was about 8 per cent of staff off, and that is probably likely to rise with increasing cases in school and of course young people as we return to school.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also said that the measures within schools won’t be introduced for “a second longer than they need to be”.

Addressing the nation last night (January 5), Mr Johnson highlighted that England would continue to follow the ‘Plan B’ measures, and ruled out further restrictions in schools, hospitality and retail.

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