Schools re-open in Wales, but are they safe?

By Gareth Bromhall

Gareth Bromall (GB) spoke with a 12 year old pupil of Penyreol Comprehensive in Swansea about their experience of what going back to school was like last week.

Penyreol Comprehensive has its own risk assessment that stipulates how social distancing will be maintained with a one way system in the school and bubbles for each year etc. However the harsh and dangerous reality is that social distancing is not being maintained and this could have serious consequences in the near future.

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GB

 I understand you didn’t go to school when the schools re-opened in July can you tell me why this was?

Pupil

I didn’t go back in July because of Covid-19 we didn’t think it was safe to go back

GB

How did you feel about going back to school last week?

Pupil

I was nervous going back on Thursday. I wasn’t looking forward to going back and I usually like school. I was worried about social distancing.

GB

So what did the school tell you about how to keep safe?

Pupil

We had assembly for our year and we had a presentation with a screen at the front of assembly. The Head Teacher told us we had to stay two metres apart, wash our hands regularly and that there was a one way system for moving around the school and our year were a bubble and not supposed to have contact with other years. But we were sitting right next to each other a couple of inches apart. As we sat there we looked at each other and couldn’t believe what we were being told given how close we were sitting to each other.

GB

Have there been other problems with social distancing in the school?

Pupil

In breaks the corridors are crowded with pupils from all years  pushing and shoving each other. On one occasion the Head Teacher was holding a door open for pupils and he could see all this happening but I didn’t hear him say anything.

GB

So after being back  in school for two days how do you feel now?

Pupil

I feel less safe as there is no social distancing. In my class I have to sit right next to another pupil. I am worried the Head Teacher and the school has been in the local press because of the fuss it makes about pupils having the correct school uniform but they don’t seem as concerned about our health.

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Local Authorities and schools were told to re-open by the Labour Welsh Government who are almost as eager as the Tories to get people back to work.

While the infection rate has reduced in Wales Covid-19  has not gone away it is lurking in the shadows waiting for more victim in the autumn and Winter. We and the education unions and parents for safety first said it would be impossible to maintain social distancing in schools.

The above interview is a graphic example of this. Tracking, testing and tracing are not good enough and schools have been left to decide whether face coverings should be used in schools a few days before they opened.

It is dangerous with staff who were shielding being coerced back to work. The education unions need to demand that the Labour Welsh Government immediately implement national safety measures.   

Socialist Party demands:

• Social distancing and masks to be used in all schools
• Routine testing and temperature checking in schools so that infections are identified earlier and comprehensive testing where cases are reported
• Invest in school facilities to allow schools to remain open safely – extra classrooms and employ all supply teachers to allow smaller classes – no more than 15 in each class
• Laptops and broadband access to be made available to all students to allow blended learning