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'Virus could be here for year' so schools must open, says education secretary
May 25, 2020
"The coronavirus could be with us for a year or more" so children cannot continue to stay out of school for "months and months" longer, says Education Secretary Gavin Williamson.
But he told BBC Breakfast he recognised there would be "initial nervousness" among parents about children returning.
Teachers' unions have warned it is not safe to open England's primary schools on 1 June.
On Sunday, Boris Johnson accepted some schools would not be ready to open .
The education secretary said the first steps for returning to school had to begin.
"We cannot be in a situation where we go for months and months where children are missing out on education," said Mr Williamson.
PM says school reopening plan will go ahead on 1 June Teachers' unions say safety advice on schools remains unclear Many councils cast doubt on opening schools on 1 June How could all children be back in school with 15 pupils per classroom?
Challenged over whether the row over Dominic Cummings had undermined the credibility of the government's health advice, he said "safety was at the heart" of planning for pupils to return.
This has not persuaded teachers' unions - with no sign of a resolution to the stand-off over bringing increasing numbers of children into schools.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption Gavin Williamson did not accept that public trust in government health messages had been undermined
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