CUSP has issued a statement calling on the Government to provide "better education" during school closures. 

A statement from CUSP follows below:

CUSP welcomes the Government’s speedy response to the new virus strain.  We note that the schools have closed two days early.  While we do not welcome school closures, we do appreciate the need for speedy action. 

CUSP is concerned about the uncertainty as to when schools will reopen - the Government has asked parents and carers to be prepared for a longer closure. 

This potential closure highlights the main concern that CUSP members have flagged - the provision of education during lockdowns and during quarantine.  Our members are increasingly concerned that the education provided, especially during quarantine, is patchy and varies dramatically by school and by class. 

Over the past weeks we have spoken to the private school in Gibraltar and we consider that there is a lot to learn from their experience.  They continued to provide education during the first lockdown, and also for pupils in quarantine. 

Based on feedback from our members and from this learning, CUSP recommends that the Department of Education implements the following for the benefit of Gibraltar pupils in our state schools: 

In primary schools: 

Schools should focus on content provided, not the platform.  Our members are generally unimpressed with the Seesaw platform, and are even less impressed with the lack of content provided in it. 
Consider providing packs of work rather than internet based content. 

In secondary schools: 

Provide content linked to the curriculum on Edmodo, and provide the content for the full course rather than lesson by lesson, so students can get ahead if they wish 
Provide invigilated testing in case this has to be relied on for GCSE and A levels 

All schools: 

Check on pupils’ work - have they completed what they need to?  Are they clear on what is needed? 
Be available to speak to parents 

CUSP is aware that teachers and school management teams are very likely to be doing this.  We have no desire to teach them to “suck eggs”.  However, the feedback from our members is that some or all of these actions are not happening in some or all of our schools. 

This would not be a CUSP press release without us asking for data.  We consider that it would be useful for the Government to publish the data and analysis supporting the decision to close schools until 11 January.  More importantly, if a decision is made to continue with school closure, we consider that the Government should publish the rationale for that decision.