SECONDARY schools & colleges will close in Wales from tomorrow to stop the Covid spread, it was announced today, and there were calls for London to follow suit.
Classes for pupils ages 11 and above will move to online learning from Monday as part of a national effort to crack down on coronavirus before Christmas.
Education minister Kirsty Williams warned that it was not “an early Christmas present” for kids and they should carry on their education as normally as possible.
Schools were closed nationwide in March during the first wave of coronavirus – including primary schools.
Ms Williams said today it was to combat the growing numbers of people going into hospital.
It comes after advice from the Chief Medical Officer that more needed to be done to combat the virus.
The Welsh First Minister, Mark Drakeford, has warned of more Covid restrictions to crack down on the virus, just weeks after their fire-break ended there.
She warned: “The virus is putting our health service under significant and sustained pressure and it is important we all make a contribution to reduce its transmission.
“In his advice to me today, the CMO recommends that a move to online learning should be implemented for secondary school pupils as soon as is practicable.
“I can therefore confirm that a move to online learning should be implemented for secondary school pupils and college students from Monday next week.
“We recognise, as we did during the firebreak, that it is more difficult for primary and special school age children to undertake self-directed learning.
“That is why we are encouraging primary and special schools to continue to stay open.
“Having spoken to local education leaders, I am confident that schools and colleges have online learning provision in place.
“This will also be important in ensuring that students are at home during this time, learning and staying safe.
“Critically, and this is very important, children should be at home.
“This is not an early Christmas holiday, please do everything you can to minimise your contact with others.”
“The education family in Wales has pulled together so many times this year to make a real difference to the course of this virus and ultimately to save lives and I know we can do the same again.
“Together we will keep Wales safe.”
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