By Lucy Ashton
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today called on the Scottish Government to stop dithering over whether the Higher exams will be called off and holidays extended.
He wants the government to confirm to teachers, parents and students that this year’s Highers and Advanced Highers will be cancelled alongside the dates on which the term will end and resume.
The Liberal Democrat education minister in Wales announced weeks ago that exams were cancelled and set out one option Scottish ministers could follow.
But this morning on Sky News’ Kay Burley, England’sConservative Education Minister Gavin Williamson pledged that exams would take place there and were in fact ongoing for some pupils.
Willie Rennie said: “The Scottish Government is paralysed by indecision over the exams and holidays. It must stop dithering.
“Pupils don’t have a level playing field. On any given day there are around 30,000 pupils and 1,500 teachers absent for covid-related reasons. Some have had to self-isolate for a fortnight multiple times, while others haven’t missed a minute of school. Every pupil and class is experiencing a different level of disruption.
“That means we need an effective alternative to exams, but to make that happen teachers and students need plenty of warning. The Education Secretary needs to stop wringing his hands and make a decision.
“We also need to finally hear what is going to happen with term dates. Any changes will have a knock-on impact on working parents so we need this clarity soon. This indecision needs to end.”
Meanwhile, Mr Rennie has today called for those with newborn children to be allowed to form a support bubble with an additional household as he warned of the pressures and stresses affecting the parents of young children.
In England, from today, families with very young children or people with continuous care needs will be allowed to form a support bubble with another household. However, these rules are not in place in Scotland.
Mr Rennie said:“There is very little support available to the parents of young children. They would usually rely on peer support, family involvement or help from health professionals but that has been severely limited.
“New parents can often feel isolated, exhausted, susceptible to depression and anxiety and in need of peer or family support.
“The Scottish Government should recognise these challenges and introduce changes to allow those with very young children to form a support bubble with an additional family.”
Willie Rennie has called for those with newborn children to be allowed to form a support bubble with an additional household as he warned of the pressures and stresses affecting the parents of young children.
In England, from today, families with very young children or people with continuous care needs will be allowed to form a support bubble with another household. However, these rules are not in place in Scotland.
Mr Rennie said: “There is very little support available to the parents of young children. They would usually rely on peer support, family involvement or help from health professionals but that has been severely limited.
“New parents can often feel isolated, exhausted, susceptible to depression and anxiety and in need of peer or family support.
“The Scottish Government should recognise these challenges and introduce changes to allow those with very young children to form a support bubble with an additional family.”
Mr Rennie changed tack from babies to old people. Responding to the news that visitors to care homes will not universally receive testing for another two weeks, he demanded ministers immediately implement new safety measures so care home residents can see their families quicker.
Willie Rennie said that full PPE and tests for families should be immediately available to allow families access. Families in England will be tested and allowed to hug care home residents as early as this week.
He added: “Residents in care homes should not be losing out on precious, immediate contact with their loved ones.
“Families are being let into homes across England this week after the Department of Health agreed PPE adorned hugs could go ahead. Scotland cannot be allowed to slip behind the rest of the UK on care home visit provisions. There is no good reason the same shouldn’t be applied here.
“Vulnerable people have been starved of holding hands or hugging their relatives for the best part of a year. This vital contact can’t wait a moment longer.
“Full PPE and tests for families should be made immediately available. That’s the best way to get us through the last few tricky months.”
- Top picture caption: Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie canvassing in his Fife constituency.