Swinney must deliver school testing
Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has renewed calls on John Swinney to improve school safety after a survey published by EIS revealed that fewer than one third of teachers feel safe at school, while another from NASUWT shows that an overwhelming majority of teachers feel that control measures in their schools are inadequate.
Last week the Scottish Parliament agreed to a set of ‘Safe Schools’ proposals brought forward by the Scottish Greens, calling on the Government to protect clinically vulnerable school staff, recruit an additional 2,000 teachers and introduce regular voluntary testing for staff and senior pupils.
Ross Greer MSP said:
“The Scottish Government has made frontline school staff feel expendable, consistently ignoring their concerns throughout this crisis. Last week though, Parliament agreed to the Greens’ Safe Schools proposals, including that regular testing be introduced to schools immediately. Today’s survey results show just how urgent that is.
“Our proposals also included protections for clinically vulnerable staff but unfortunately I am still receiving reports from extremely vulnerable teachers in Tier 4 areas who have been told they must turn up to school this week, despite their doctors advising otherwise. It’s time that Mr Swinney took teachers’ concerns seriously, and follow Parliament’s instruction that he make our schools safe for teachers, staff and pupils.”