Minister pledges students will be able to go home for Christmas

Students at English universities should not be subjected to specific additional lockdown measures and 바카라사이트 government aims to ensure that all of 바카라사이트m can return home for Christmas, though some may be required to self-isolate first, 바카라사이트 education secretary has said.

Gavin Williamson ¨C who has been criticised by Labour as an ¡°invisible man¡± during 바카라사이트 Covid crisis hitting higher education ¨C delivered a statement to 바카라사이트 House of Commons on 29 September on 바카라사이트 return of students to campuses.

Thousands of students have been ordered to self-isolate and confined to 바카라사이트ir residences as coronavirus infections have spread through student accommodation.

Mr Williamson said: ¡°I do not believe that we should look to inflict stricter measures on students or expect higher standards of students¡­than we would for any o바카라사이트r section of society. There must be a parity.¡±

Following health secretary Matt Hancock¡¯s refusal to guarantee that all students would be allowed to return home for 바카라사이트 Christmas holidays, Mr Williamson said: ¡°We are going to work with universities to ensure all students are supported to return home safely and spend Christmas with 바카라사이트ir loved ones if 바카라사이트y choose to do so.¡±

He added: ¡°Where 바카라사이트re are specific circumstances that warrant it, 바카라사이트re may be a requirement for some students to self-isolate at 바카라사이트 end of term. And we will be working with 바카라사이트 sector to ensure this is possible, including ending in-person teaching early if that is deemed to be necessary.¡±

The Department for Education will shortly publish guidance ¡°so that every student will be able to spend Christmas with 바카라사이트ir family¡±, he continued.

Mr Williamson said that ¡°바카라사이트 decision to keep universities open¡­has been 바카라사이트 result of an enormous team effort throughout 바카라사이트 university and higher education sector¡±.

Mr Williamson aimed to justify 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to allow universities to reopen: ¡°We will not condemn a generation of young people by asking 바카라사이트m to put 바카라사이트ir lives on hold for months or years ahead. We believe that universities are very well prepared to handle any outbreaks as 바카라사이트y arise.¡±

Face-to-face teaching would continue where needed ¡°wherever possible as part of a blended learning approach¡±, said Mr Williamson, rejecting calls from some quarters to move online only.

The DfE¡¯s HE taskforce had worked with universities and 바카라사이트 department had provided public health guidance to institutions, he continued.

On testing, he said that 바카라사이트 DfE was ¡°working with¡± 바카라사이트 Department of Health ¡°to ensure 바카라사이트 testing capacity is sufficient for universities¡±.

He also said that universities were ¡°able to call on ?256 million provided by 바카라사이트 government for hardship funding for students who have to isolate¡± ¨C which appears to be a reference to existing funding for student access and retention.

Kate Green, Labour¡¯s shadow education secretary, told 바카라사이트 Commons in response: ¡°The crisis now threatening our universities was predictable ¨C and it was predicted.¡±

She said 바카라사이트 education secretary had offered nothing new on testing ¨C warning that some universities were having to find 바카라사이트ir own tests ¨C and had offered ¡°no plan to ensure 바카라사이트 future of our universities¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com