Education, Children and Young People Committee
Easing of requirements for face coverings and removing restrictions on assemblies
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
Convener
COVID-19 Recovery Committee
The Scottish Parliament
EH99 1SP
Convener
Education, Children and Young People Committee
The Scottish Parliament
EH99 1SP
10 February 2022
Dear Convener
Easing of requirements for face coverings and removing restrictions on assemblies
As you will have seen, the First Minister announced in parliament today that the requirement for pupils and staff to wear face coverings in classrooms will be removed from 28 February, along with removing restrictions on assemblies.
This is in line with advice from the Advisory Subgroup on Education and Children’s Issues as the next phase of removing mitigations, and was discussed with the Covid-19 Education Recovery Group (CERG) this morning. It represents a further step in allowing our children and young people to return to a normal school experience.
We have committed to keeping Parliament and school communities updated on decisions affecting schools and have been clear that we do not want to maintain such measures any longer than is necessary. However, we remain careful to ensure that we continue to follow the data and scientific advice.
Moving forward, we will continue to work with the members of CERG (including parent/carer representatives and young people) and wider stakeholder groups as we develop this advice into detailed guidance. This will be supported by positive and proactive communications to all relevant groups.
As always, I will continue to keep you informed of future updates and changes, including the timing of publication of that guidance.
Yours sincerely
Shirley-Anne Somerville