Education at the frontline of Covid decisions

Children and teachers are at the frontline of global concerns about both their physical and mental health.

A long-running, and still unresolved, debate has been held about exactly how much effect the opening of schools has on community transmission rates.

Thankfully, the Bailiwick has been spared some of the heat of that discussion as the near elimination of the virus in the islands meant schools could operate in classrooms from June last year through to the start of the second lockdown a month ago.

Nevertheless, it has still been a grim time for all involved. Exam grading has been chaotic and pupils left fearing that their hard work would not be rewarded.

Those who went on to university in September have had a torrid time, forced for much of the year either to live with campus lockdown or come home and learn remotely.

That disruption and uncertainty continues as A-levels and GCSEs have been cancelled in the wake of last summer’s grading controversy.

The prime minister is to deliver a ‘roadmap’ of the way ahead on Monday, including details of how testing will work. It is unlikely everyone will be happy.

Guernsey, of course, has to navigate its own path on education.

This means judging the risks of local Covid conditions while fitting the curriculum around the consequences of decisions made in the UK.

That includes the national vaccination programme. Public Health has been adamant that it will follow national guidance on who goes first. At present that does not allow teachers to jump the queue, although there are signs that this may be reviewed.

It is a complicated and fluid picture.

Which is probably why Wednesday’s Covid briefing made no more than a passing reference to education, despite the president of Education, Sport & Culture having been invited to Tuesday’s crucial meeting of the Civil Contingencies Authority.