Union slams DESC over chief executive's comments

NASUWT rejects Prof Barr's "entirely unfounded" suggestions

A teachers' union has hit out at the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, following comments made by its chief executive.

The Public Accounts Committee held another emergency coronavirus scrutiny session on Friday morning (12 June).

It was the turn of the education department to be put under the spotlight.

Dollin Mercer listened in:

You can listen to that oral evidence session in full here.

In response to the remarks made by Professor Ronald Barr, General Secretary of the NASUWT, Dr Patrick Roach, said:

"We reject as entirely unfounded the suggestions that the NASUWT or our members have in any way hindered efforts to support children and young people whose education has been affected as a result of the closure of schools due to the coronavirus.

“Teachers deserve to be congratulated, not criticised, for their hard work and dedication and for going the extra mile to support children’s learning at this extremely difficult and challenging time.

“The comments made by the Chief Executive to the Public Accounts Committee are inaccurate and misleading and we will be insisting that appropriate action is taken to set the record straight.

"As the DESC is fully aware NASUWT’s action short of strike action instructions did not have any relevance to the provision of online learning. To suggest the Union’s action impeded the implementation of such resources is entirely inaccurate.

"The NASUWT was proactive in raising online learning with the DESC to ensure that best practice was followed to make the resources as effective as possible."