Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson and Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson have announced that the government will allocate over one billion pounds ($1.2 billion) to provide tutoring and additional resources to students that have missed lessons as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.
The government said while $434 million will be given to support a tutoring scheme for the most disadvantaged students, $806 million will be divided among the country’s state-run schools to bolster resources.
“This £1 billion catch-up package will help head teachers to provide extra support to children, who have fallen behind while out of school,” Johnson said as the proposals were unveiled on Friday. I am determined to do everything I can to get all children back in school from September, and we will bring forward plans on how this will happen as soon as possible,” Johnson said.
Early this month, some elementary school year groups returned to classes in the country and high schools also reopened on Monday. The current government guidelines stipulate that no more than 25 per cent of students in grades 10 and 12 can be present at one time.
Schools had provided in-person teaching to vulnerable children and those of frontline workers, such as health care professionals, who have continued to work amid lockdown measures.
