Covid: masks and tests not compulsory at English schools, says minister
February 25, 2021, 12:05 pm

Covid: masks and tests not compulsory at English schools, says minister

Boris Johnson visits a school in Accrington, Lancashire.

Nick Gibb says he hopes most pupils and schools will choose to take protection measures

It will not be compulsory for school pupils to take Covid tests twice a week, nor wear face coverings in class, the schools minister Nick Gibb has confirmed.

But Gibb said he hoped most students would wear masks and volunteer to take tests twice a week in school, before being given home testing kits.

In interviews on Thursday, Gibb also said that while this summer’s exams had been scrapped, teachers would have to show evidence for the grades they gave, as part of checks against grade inflation.

He told Sky News: “Of course exams are the fairest and best system for judging attainment.

“But we can’t have exams this year because of the pandemic and because of the disruption that many students have faced up and down the country.

“It wouldn’t be fair to hold exams this year and we trust the professionals – teachers are the people who know their students best and we do trust their professionalism.”

Asked on BBC Breakfast whether he accepted grades would be inflated this year, Gibb replied: “Well, that’s why we’ve put in place all these different checking mechanisms to make sure that there is consistency.

“But it is very important that the pandemic does not prevent students from going on to the next stage of their careers, whether that is to college or to university or to an apprenticeship, so we want to make sure that, despite the disruption that students have faced, they will still be able to progress.”

He said grades would not have to be submitted until 18 June to give pupils more time to study following the disruption to their learning.

Pupils awaiting the result of an appeal against their teacher-assessed grades before being granted a university place would be prioritised under this year’s system, he added.

“We hope there won’t be a huge number of appeals, given everything that is in place. But we just want to make sure that, if there are large numbers of appeals, that there is still time to make sure students can still take the offer of a college or university place, or a place in employment, as a consequence of the appeal process,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“The exam boards will prioritise those students who have a university place that is dependent on the outcome of that appeal.”

The appeals process would be in two stages, he said. Pupils would “go to the school first of all to make sure the processes were right, and then, if the student is still unhappy, they can appeal to the exam board and they will then look at the grade to make sure … there was a reasonable exercise of academic judgment”.

The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, will give a statement to the House of Commons on the return to education and the awarding of qualifications in 2021 at around 11.30am on Thursday.

Gibb said pupils would not be prevented from attending school if they did not take regular Covid tests. “We want to make sure it is not compulsory in that sense, and they will need the permission of the parents,” he told Sky News.

“In all these things, it is a balance of risk and just having anybody tested, frankly, and identifying asymptomatic cases is a bonus in terms of minimising the risk.

“But we do expect and we hope that most students, the vast majority of students, will volunteer to have these tests twice a week and then, after the third test, there will be home testing kits for those students.”

The wearing of face coverings in secondary schools was not compulsory but instead was being “highly recommended”, he told BBC Breakfast.

“We are saying it is not mandatory for schools to have masks in classrooms but it is highly recommended because we want to do everything we can to reduce the risk of transmission in the school,” he said.

“So there is twice-a-week testing of students, staff as well. We have all those measures in place – hand hygiene, the cleaning of surfaces, the ventilation, staggered lunchbreaks and play times – all those measures designed to minimise the risk of infection and transmission within the school.

“And this is one more measure just to help reduce that where you can’t have social distancing in a classroom.”

source: Helen Pidd

Levant

India, Pakistan agree to halt firing along disputed Kashmir border Teachers to get sweeping powers to decide exam results in England

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.