Teaching union calls on Jersey's government to delay return to school

The NASUWT says if household mixing is banned until at least 11 January, pupils should not have to go back to school until then. Credit: ITV Channel TV

A teaching union is calling on Jersey's government to delay the return of students to classrooms, as the island grapples to control the second wave of coronavirus.

At present, schools are due to reopen on 6 January, but the NASUWT says if household mixing is banned until at least 11 January, pupils and teachers should not have to go back until then.

Marina Mauger did say however schools sites should still be open for vulnerable children and those of essential workers.

The union leader also told ITV News how some teachers are "very frightened, worried and concerned" about going back to work.

To mitigate this, she wants to see a testing programme - similar to the ones set to start in the UK - to be introduced in secondary schools which she believes would cost the government around £70,000.