Teachers have raised strong concerns about the government’s plans to test high school students, warning it will delay school reopening and not catch asymptomatic carriers of Covid, as well as spreading “false sense of security” among teenagers.
On Monday, the government will reveal that it wants schools to use controversial late-flow tests to test high school students for Covid-19 up to three times, before allowing them to return to the classroom there. England on March 8, the Spectator understand.
Millions of students are then expected to test themselves twice a week at home, under the guidance of their parents, in an attempt to catch asymptomatic cases before they can spread the disease to others in the school. .
However, the NEU teachers’ union says many school leaders are “completely unsure” that lateral flow tests are sensitive and okay to raise positive issues among asymptomatic young people, who have more viral loads. usually lower than adults.
Mary Bousted, the union’s joint general secretary, said there was a huge challenge for headteachers to set up big exams in schools, and she feared it would take time and point. “The idea that we could do three tests and open in one big bang on March 8 – that will not be possible,” she said.
It could take an average of two or three weeks for the average high school, which has about 1,000 pupils, to take 3,000 exams, teachers estimate.
School leaders who have already established lateral flow test regimes for vulnerable children and children of key workers are not confident that they are fit for the job, Bousted said.
According to the latest NHS test and detection figures, only 0.31% of late flow tests carried out in the week to 10 February found positive cases – such a low figure and indeed below the “false positive level” of 0.32 % for these tests.
“School leaders tell us they are taking these tests and they are not getting any benefit. Their accuracy is highly questionable for mass testing. They are unaware of small viral loads and high school students are significantly more likely to be asymptomatic [than older people]. So they miss a lot of positive issues. ”
She said that making such erroneous tests could be dangerous and give “asymptomatic pupils” who take a negative test a “completely false sense of security”.
“If you have had a late flow test that gives you a negative negative, it is too easy to imagine that many teenagers will feel confident that they have not caught the virus and will behave accordingly.
“The danger is that these pupils will not start using social pace, hand washing and other protective measures. ”Lateral flow tests” just don’t eradicate the virus “in schools:” School leaders have no faith in them. “
She also warned that it is very unlikely that all teenage pupils will comply with the home test guidelines twice a week after returning to school, and that it will be difficult for schools. to comply.
“This is a nightmare. I’ve been teaching teenagers for a long time, and I love them, but they have very clear ideas about their own body space.
“Some have flatly refused to put swabs down their throats or up their noses – and I don’t think there is much incentive for parents to go up if their child doesn’t take the test. Or the child can tell the parents that they took it, when they did not. ”
On Friday, nine teaching unions, including the NEU, called for children to be gradually returned to school in England, warning if there is not enough time for the impact of school opening on post-primary levels. -assessment, that it may induce another spike. in Covid’s disease.
Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, is said to be “deeply disappointed” by the prospect of the 10 million children and staff returning to school on March 8.
“Resolute leaders are opening schools as soon as possible,” said Jules White, founder of Worth Less ?, a people’s leaders’ group. “But we need to have the confidence to make the right decisions for our local communities.”
That includes the ability to start unstable and, depending on local disease levels, use rotas that allow children to socialize more effectively in classes. “We want as many children back in school as is safe for children and staff.”
A spokesman for the Department of Education said: “We know that schools, parents and pupils need to clarify plans as soon as possible, which is why we have promised to prepare two weeks’ notice.
“The Prime Minister plans to announce plans to reopen schools on 22 February, with pupils returning from March 8 at the earliest. ”