Coronavirus in Portsmouth: MPs on growing school closures - children, staff and parents should not be put at risk

PORTSMOUTH MPs have admitted school children, staff and parents should not be ‘facing unreasonable risk’ as a number of primary schools announce they will only open to vulnerable children and those with key worker parents.
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It follows a dramatic announcement from the National Education Union after an emergency meeting on Saturday urging schools to close amid safety concerns with rising Covid-19 infections.

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Despite this, prime minister Boris Johnson insisted on Sunday schools were safe.

Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP.
Picture: Habibur RahmanStephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP.
Picture: Habibur Rahman
Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP. Picture: Habibur Rahman

Responding to the growing swell of closures across the region, Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP, was highly critical of the government.

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He said: ‘The education secretary (Gavin Williamson) has lost the confidence of parents and staff causing chaos and confusion just hours before the start of the spring term. He has forced unions into unprecedented action.’

The Labour MP added: ‘All this was avoidable had he listened on safety, testing, vaccinations, remote learning and exams.

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‘It is clear ministers are not listening. I thrust local authorities to do what is right. I hope the council shows leadership and addresses the concerns of parents and our city’s school staff.’

Mr Morgan told The News he has written to the government on behalf of ‘worried constituents’ to urge them to ‘meet a series of demands which must be met to reassure our city’s communities about schools reopening’.

Meanwhile Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt said she was meeting with the vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi on Monday to discuss vaccinations for teaching staff and rapid testing which would ‘help this situation greatly’.

The Conservative MP told The News: ‘The impact on children of school closure is immense, and in particular for those children who do not have support and structure at home, or children with complex needs.

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‘No one knows this better than teachers themselves, and school staff have been working incredibly hard to stay open and to minimise the impact of when they have had to close.’

Ms Mordaunt went on to highlight how particular individuals, such as the clinically vulnerable, will have concerns over infection rates.

‘Staff or families should not be facing unreasonable risk and there is provision to address this,’ she said.

‘It is important to note that just because a person was not listed as extremely clinically vulnerable at the start of the pandemic, doesn’t mean they are considered not to be so now. If people are stuck about what they should do, I would ask them to get in touch with my office.’

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Alan Mak, Havant MP, said: ‘I'm in touch with our local education authority Hampshire County Council who are working to re-open both schools as quickly as possible.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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