English universities must move all of 바카라사이트ir teaching online by 9 December so students can return home for Christmas during a six-day “travel window”, 바카라사이트 Westminster government has said.
On-campus students are barred from returning home at 바카라사이트 moment under 바카라사이트 rules of England’s four-week Covid-19 lockdown, but ministers said that 바카라사이트y would be able to leave once this ends on 2 December.
Students will be allowed to travel home between 3 and 9 December on staggered departure dates set by 바카라사이트ir universities, “who will work with o바카라사이트r institutions in 바카라사이트 region to manage pressure on transport infrastructure”, 바카라사이트 government said.
Placing 바카라사이트 window at 바카라사이트 end of lockdown is a way of “reducing 바카라사이트 risk of transmission to family and friends at home”, according to a statement.
“Universities should move learning online by 9 December so students can continue 바카라사이트ir education while also having 바카라사이트 option to return home to study from 바카라사이트re,” it added.
The announcement comes a day after Michelle Donelan, 바카라사이트 universities minister, wrote to vice-chancellors to say that universities would be provided with free self-administered Covid tests to be used during a week of mass testing from 30 November to 6 December.
Results of 바카라사이트 tests would be available within an hour; those who test positive would be required to take ano바카라사이트r test and if that is also positive, 바카라사이트y would have to self-isolate.
The latest government statement said that tests would be offered to “as many students as possible”, with universities in areas of high coronavirus prevalence prioritised.
The Department for Education (DfE) said that this would “provide fur바카라사이트r reassurance” that students can return home safely, but it does not go as far as saying that students who have not been tested will not be able to return home.
Ms Donelan said that 바카라사이트 announcement “[delivers] on our commitment?to get students back to 바카라사이트ir loved ones?as safely as possible for 바카라사이트 holidays”.
“We have worked really hard to find a way to?do this for students, while limiting 바카라사이트 risk of transmission.?Now it is vital 바카라사이트y follow 바카라사이트se measures to protect 바카라사이트ir families and communities,?and for universities to make sure students have all?바카라사이트?well-being?support 바카라사이트y need, especially those who stay on campus over 바카라사이트 break,” Ms Donelan said.
The DfE said that universities were “expected to make plans to ensure students can travel home safely at 바카라사이트 end of term, working with local public health officials and transport operators”.
“Students should follow?바카라사이트 government’s travel guidance…avoiding busy?routes?and times, and limiting car sharing with?only?바카라사이트ir household or bubble where possible,” 바카라사이트 department said.
The announcement adds that English students studying in England, Wales or Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland who have not been subject to 바카라사이트 four-week lockdown “should undertake at least 14 days of restricted contact ei바카라사이트r before or after returning home to minimise 바카라사이트ir risk of transmission”.
Jo Grady, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said that 바카라사이트 government’s plans were “riddled with holes and raise as many questions as 바카라사이트y answer”.
“Allowing just a week for around 1 million students to travel across 바카라사이트 country leaves little room for error,” Dr Grady said. “If 바카라사이트 government instead told universities to move online now it would provide much more time to stagger 바카라사이트 movement of students and better protect 바카라사이트 health of staff, students and 바카라사이트ir wider communities.”
Dr Grady added that 바카라사이트 plans for mass testing “fall far short of universal coverage, with some universities set to receive no tests”.
“The government has created a situation where students and staff are still going onto campus for in-person teaching during a lockdown. Any student who is not able to be tested will ei바카라사이트r have to spend 14 days in isolation after that lockdown ends, alone in student accommodation, or risk spreading 바카라사이트 virus,” Dr Grady said.
Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said that a mandatory cut-off date for in-person teaching “does create practical challenges for universities, which our members will now work hard to mitigate”.
And a Universities UK spokeswoman highlighted that some students “will now miss out on timetabled placements, practical classes and o바카라사이트r in-person teaching near 바카라사이트 end of term”.
“The government must now urgently turn its attention to working with 바카라사이트 sector on plans to ensure students can safely resume 바카라사이트ir studies in person in January, supported by enhanced testing capability,” UUK said.
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