Polar Star - March - May 2024
Tuesday 19 March 2024
 7.5°C   S Fresh Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Coronavirus / Uncertainty over whether students may be able to go home for Christmas

Deputy first minister and education secretary John Swinney cutting the ribbon at the Anderson High School site in September 2018. Photo: Chris Cope/Shetland News

THE SCOTTISH Government isn’t ruling out the prospect of students being told not to return home at Christmas.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon, however, said that the government “will do everything we can” to set out a plan for students.

This could include a phased end to the term and a staggered start after the New Year – while testing could also play a part.

Deputy first minister John Swinney told BBC Scotland that if coronavirus was not under control by Christmas then it was a “realistic possibility” that students could be asked to not to return home.

Sturgeon said the government wanted to be “frank” with people – something she said was better than giving out false assurances.

“Be in no doubt, we want students to be able to return home safely for Christmas,” she said on Monday during her daily coronavirus briefing.

“The really difficult thing in all of this is that we are living through an inherently uncertain and unpredictable pandemic, and that means we can’t always give the absolute cast iron certainty on anything right now that I know people desperately want.”

Highlands and Islands Students’ Association has called on the government to let students home for Christmas.

President Florence Jansen said: “Many of our students would not have returned to their accommodation if they had not been encouraged to do so by the government, and especially if they thought that they would not be allowed to return home for Christmas as a result.

“While many students across the University of the Highlands and Islands are already engaged with online learning, this decision could be detrimental to those that are on campus and shows a complete disregard of the unique demographic of students studying in the Highlands and Islands.

“Currently, we’re also seeing a lack of clarification on term two teaching requirements, which is only adding to the uncertainty of our students and staff.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

 

“We need to protect our communities now more than ever, and it’s not just up to our universities and colleges to provide this additional support to our students. We believe that if this possibility becomes a reality, the Scottish Government should provide financial care packages to those students told to stay on campus.

“We’re also calling for asymptomatic testing prior to traveling away from student accommodation to be explored as a possible solution and for increased mental health support should that option fail, especially in the cases where student support teams are on leave.”

Meanwhile a further 1,122 people in Scotland have tested positive for Covid-19, although no new cases have been recorded in Shetland.

One additional person has died.

During her daily briefing Sturgeon also reiterated that travel limitations could be imposed on areas which may see their Covid restrictions eased under a new tier system.

More details on where Shetland will be placed in the tier set-up should be known this week.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 

Related Stories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.