SCHOOL leaders have asked the Welsh Government for an “urgent review” of the Covid situation in schools, adding the current Test, Trace and Protect scheme was not working.

Since children have returned to school, cases amongst youngsters and staff have skyrocketed.

Just last week, the Argus reported that more than 660 pupils were self-isolating across Newport, Monmouthshire and Caerphilly on Monday, September 20 alone.

READ MORE: The rules for school pupils who test positive for Covid and their close contacts.

In response to the rise in cases, Laura Doel, director of school leaders’ union NAHT Cymru, wrote to health minister Eluned Morgan and education minister Jeremy Miles, asking for measures to be reviewed.

“NAHT Cymru is receiving reports of no contact at all with Test, Trace and Protect, despite having several cases in schools; contradictory advice like telling some siblings/children of positive cases to self-isolate and not others; contact tracers telling parents to ask the school for advice on whether siblings should come into school,” she said. 

“A number of local authorities have now told schools not to wait for Test, Trace and Protect before sending out ‘warn and inform’ letters because the system is at capacity.

“There are also contradictions on close contacts going for PCR tests because our members are being told that the system cannot keep up with demand.

“NAHT Cymru has already shared our concerns about the framework not being robust enough to support schools before there were the wide-spread issues with Test, Trace and Protect.

“Test, Trace and Protect is a vital mechanism in keeping schools open. NAHT Cymru requests that an urgent review of the situation be undertaken.

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“If Test, Trace and Protect is unable to support schools then I request that health and education officials come back to the table with the employers and trade unions and discuss reviewing the current framework which is predicated on a functioning Test, Trace and Protect system.

“It is unacceptable that school leaders are having to take on this function.

“NAHT Cymru wants nothing more than for schools to stay open, but our members need your help.”

In response, a Welsh Government spokesperson said that it was working with the education sector to address any concerns raised. 

“Our contact tracing teams continue to do an excellent job in helping keep Wales safe,” said the spokesman. “However, the recent surge in cases is inevitably impacting on the speed with which local Test, Trace and Protect teams can investigate cases within schools.

“We understand the concerns that have been raised and are working closely with stakeholders from the education sector to address them.”