January 18, 2021 - 809 views
The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has today called on the Welsh Government to take urgent steps to protect school teachers managing childcare hubs, including by working with the Health Minister to fast track vaccinations for school teachers.
Mrs Finch-Saunders has submitted an urgent written question to the Welsh Government, following local concerns. Her intervention comes as some schools in the constituency report a higher number of children returning to their premises since the Christmas break.
In response to a question from the Welsh Conservatives this week, the Welsh Health Minister told a virtual meeting of the Senedd that there were no plans to prioritise jabs for those working on education’s frontlines.
Sector officials are concerned about the increasing threat of transmission, to both staff and pupils. According to the TAG Brief: Variant of Concern and Education in Wales the reproduction rate would be lower with schools closed due to reduced social mixing.
Speaking following her Written Question, Mrs. Finch-Saunders said: “We are all aware of the pressure that our outstanding teachers and school staff are currently under, mixing in-person learning with virtual class sessions to ensure that no child is left behind.
"Their perseverance and dedication to their profession is a remarkable trait that we all should applaud.
“However, in my recent conversations with school staff it is clear that the issues they face are being exacerbated by a sudden increase in the number of key worker children being sent to schools since their return in the new year.
“One primary school in Aberconwy has issued a statement appealing that parents consider that the childcare Hub offers care when there is no other option. Clearly, we can reasonably assume that the greater the number of children attending hubs, the higher the risk of transmission.
“This is why I have asked the Welsh Government to take urgent steps to protect school teachers managing hubs, including by working with the Health Minister to fast track vaccinations for school teachers. The health and safety of these guardians cannot be undermined.”
