England/January 22,2022/By: Richard Adams and Rowena Mason/Source: https://www.theguardian.com/

PM removes requirement for face masks to be worn in schools despite headteachers’ concerns

Boris Johnson has told schools in England to end the wearing of face masks by pupils, as parents and teachers continued to report infections spreading within schools at a rapid rate.

Johnson’s demand to “follow the latest guidance”, made through his No 10 spokesperson, came after headteachers at secondary schools across England said they would encourage their students to keep wearing masks despite the government withdrawing advice for them to be worn in classrooms.

The prime minister’s spokesperson said: “Children have been one of the hardest hit as a result of the disruption throughout the pandemic and we recognise the impact it has had on their education. The prime minister believes it is vital that children are receiving face-to-face education and can enjoy a normal experience in the classroom and the prime minister also thinks that the schools should follow the latest guidance.

“We’ve been clear that we removed the requirement for face masks to be worn in classrooms and we will remove advice for face masks to be worn in communal areas from 27 January.”

Johnson’s intervention is likely to further confuse the issue, with school leaders pointing out that official guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) specifies that masks can still be required in schools. The DfE’s advice to parents, updated on Thursday, states: “Your nursery, school or college might advise you that face coverings should temporarily be worn in communal areas or classrooms (by pupils, staff and visitors, unless exempt).”

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/jan/21/boris-johnson-tells-schools-england-end-mask-wearing-policy