Now will Boris Johnson sack the inept Gavin Williamson? – The Yorkshire Post says

THERE have been many occasions when this newspaper felt that it was a lone voice in its criticism of the abject mismanagement of education policy during the pandemic.
By YP Comment
Published 4th Aug 2021, 05:48 BST
The Government has been accused of letting down school children during the pandemic.The Government has been accused of letting down school children during the pandemic.
The Government has been accused of letting down school children during the pandemic.

Why Gavin Williamson must resign or be sacked – The Yorkshire Post says

The first publication to demand Gavin Williamson’s resignation, The Yorkshire Post chose to speak out because children only get one chance to receive a sound education.

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Revealed: How Gavin Williamson is Education Secretary in name only – Tom Richmond

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson.Education Secretary Gavin Williamson.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson.

Now this stance is vindicated by a damning report by the Institute for Government – the think-tank that oversees the efficiency of Whitehall.

Why is ‘inept’ Gavin Williamson still Education Secretary after schools catch-up tsar quits? – Tom Richmond

Citing the Government’s “refusal” to make contingency plans for schools and exams in summer 2020 as “unforgivable”, it says Mr Williamson was not involved in key decisions.

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The critique blames the Government for refusing “to trust local authorities” and expertise of public health directors on how best to help schools to function.

The Government has been accused of letting down school children during the pandemic.The Government has been accused of letting down school children during the pandemic.
The Government has been accused of letting down school children during the pandemic.

Its conclusion is withering: “Dreadful communications. Repeated declarations that schools would open or close, or that exams would be held – despite the evident uncertainties – until reality struck. The result was U-turn after U-turn, with pupils, parents and teachers left bewildered and floundering time and again.”

Condemning this pattern of “pause, rewind, repeat”, it is staggering that the start of the new academic year, the third to be compromised by the pandemic, is still mired by so much uncertainty.

Coupled with Mr Williamson’s abiding failure to secure the level of catch-up funding demanded by Sir Kevan Collins before he resigned as Education Recovery Commissioner, the final question is a recurring one – just what will it take for Boris Johnson to appoint a competent Education Secretary?

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The longer that the PM prevaricates, the more that students will lose out and the greater the public’s scepticism over levelling up when schools should be the cornerstone of this policy.

The Government has been accused of letting down school children during the pandemic.The Government has been accused of letting down school children during the pandemic.
The Government has been accused of letting down school children during the pandemic.

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Related topics:Yorkshire PostBoris JohnsonEducation SecretaryGovernment

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