Would You like a feature Interview?
All Interviews are 100% FREE of Charge
Former Secretary of Education Sir Gavin Williamson told colleague Matt Hancock that teachers are looking for “excuse not to teach” during the pandemic.
Sir Gavin, who wrote to teachers in September 2021 thanking them for their “excellent work” and “incredible efforts during the pandemic”, said in a WhatsApp conversation with then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock: , personally criticized the school staff and the teachers’ union.
In May 2020, as schools prepared to reopen following the initial nationwide lockdown, Sir Gavin asked schools to supply personal protective equipment. open”.
He added:
Sir Gavin was later criticized for his handling of the students’ exams that summer. On 1 October, after it became clear that his A-level exams for next summer would be postponed, Mr. Hancock sent Sir Gavin the following message: What an absolute bunch of donkeys the Teachers’ Union is! ”
The secretary of education at the time replied:
After Boris Johnson endorsed Sir Gavin in keeping schools open ahead of a January 2021 reopening, Mr Hancock told an aide, according to the newspaper: Crash in January when children spread the disease. To do so, we must take rearguard action. ”
Sir Gavin was fired in September 2021 after heavy criticism of the school’s handling of Covid-19 measures, including a controversial algorithm that determines student grades instead of exams.
He was briefly reappointed to the government last year by Rishi Sunak, but served just two weeks before being fired over allegations of bullying and abuse.
Jeff Burton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“Education unions, including ours, have worked incredibly hard to engage constructively with governments during the pandemic.
“We have to constantly sense and unravel the confusing set of guidance they have issued, often tripped by bizarre policy decisions, followed inevitably by a U-turn.
“It was a complete pandemonium, and two individuals involved in these slanderous insults were at the center of that pandemonium.”
“Gavin Williamson is a disgraceful education secretary and these comments mark his place in history as one of the worst ministers ever to grace a government,” said Munira Wilson, education spokesman for the Liberal Democrats. is being fixed.
“At least Gavin Williamson should apologize for these comments.
“The most shocking thing about Williamson’s catalog of failures is that Rishi Snak believes this person is still fit to serve in the government.”
write in Telegraph Sir Gavin said on Wednesday:
Late Wednesday, he also tweeted that his comments were “about some unions, not teachers,” adding, “Outmost respect to teachers who work tirelessly to support their students.” are paying for,” he added.
The comments are the latest to surface via messages leaked from Mr. Hancock’s WhatsApp, Telegraph By journalist Isabelle Oakshott. Hancock gave her access to the messages while he helped her write her memoir, The Pandemic Diaries.
Oakshott, who has been a fierce critic of lockdown measures during the pandemic, has denied violating the NDA by revealing its contents.