The Conservative MP who has led calls for the government to launch a massive catch-up operation for children whose education has been severely hit by the pandemic has said he believes Jewish schools will be at the forefront of a push to reopen.
Harlow MP Robert Halfon, the chair of the Commons Education Select Committee, has warned of a “potential Ice Age” for UK school-children over fears that their educational development has suffered since lockdown was announced in March.
Mr Halfon told the JC: “When you consider how the whole Jewish ethos is around the importance of education, it has been an incredibly hard time for schools, for families and for children.
“I haven’t yet seen the figures, but I suspect Jewish schools will be amongst the forefront of those now calling for a return.”
Mr Halfon has also led a cross-party demand for the government to set up a Nightingale Hospital-style plan to get schools back to capacity.
He called on the government to look into opening summers schools “with charities, volunteers, graduates and former teachers” to help children with pastoral care and educational catch up.
The MP, who is himself Jewish, also told the JC that he “understood” how some parents in the community would still be concerned about the potential health risks of allowing their children back to school.
‘’I get it,’’ he said. ‘’But if you look around the world, to the World Health Organisation, to 22 European Union countries, the Chief Medical Officer – study after study shows there is minimal risk to going back.
‘’I have asked the Prime Minister, in Committee and in Parliament, along with the Schools Minister – and time and time again they have also said it is safe to go back.’’
Mr Halfon added: “What I would say to Jewish parents is, if you don’t want to send your children to school, I understand it.
“Also no-one who is shielding or ill, whether that be teachers, support staff or kids, should got to school.
“But you also have to balance the risks. There are other risks not being in school.
“There is a potential Ice Age in terms of their development, their learning. The effect on these children not learning , you could be damaging their life chances hugely.
“There could be an epidemic of educational poverty and a safe- guarding crisis with children suffering possible online harm from predators, if they are not being supervised.”
Mr Halfon will be meeting the leading teaching trade unions on Tuesday to discuss plans for schools reopening and the summer catch-up proposals.
He said he was encouraged when at last week’s press conference PM Boris Johnson said he supported a national plan for an educational catch-up.
“I have been pushed for this since before Pesach,” said Mr Halfon. “It is going to take a long time to catch up on what school children have missed during the pandemic.
“I have also supported the call for a National Broadcasting Service on television over the summer weeks where parents are offered as couple of hours of educational material for their children in the day.”
Mr Halfon said he could not help but think of the children he saw onstage at the PaJeS Jewish School Awards back in February.
“It was the very best of what Jewish schools can offer on stage that night. I can’t help think of those same children stuck at home, not learning, despite the best efforts of teachers to set them work.
‘’It is very depressing.”
