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Gavin Williamson says he hopes schools in England reopen before Easter

Education secretary promises teachers and pupils will be given two weeks’ notice to prepare
The education secretary has said he “certainly hopes” schools will reopen before Easter, and said parents, teachers and pupils would be given two weeks’ notice before reopening.
But Gavin Williamson said he could not guarantee schools would reopen at Easter, saying any decision would be made on scientific advice. The government is due to review the national lockdown on 15 February, but schools could remain closed after the half-term break.
“I would certainly hope that that would be certainly before Easter,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“Any decision to open schools to all children is based on the best health advice and the best scientific advice. The reason that we were placed in the position to close schools to all but the children of critical workers and vulnerable children was down to the mounting pressure on the NHS.”
He told Sky News in an earlier interview: “My real focus is making sure that children get back into school at the earliest possible opportunity. Schools were the last to close and schools will very much be the first to reopen.”
Williamson said an improvement in the pressure on the NHS was a “key criteria” for reopening.
He added that the government wanted to give two weeks’ notice before schools reopened. “We want to give all schools and teachers the opportunity to prepare and get ready to welcome all children back, as well allowing the children to get ready,” he said.
The children’s commissioner for England said she was pleased the government had adopted a “last to close, first to open” approach to schools, but said they needed help with reopening.
“Schools don’t just open by themselves magically when infection rates get to a certain level,” Anne Longfield told Sky News.
“We need to make sure schools have all the measures in place to make sure they are safe to reopen and my hope is that certainly primary schools will be able to open after half-term when we believe the risks to children ... and adults are much lower.”
She added that a third of youngsters could be living in poverty by the middle of the decade. “That means a third of our population growing up and entering adulthood with serious hardships day to day but also limitations on their life chances,” she said.
Longfield added that she wanted politicians to “take poverty out of that ‘too difficult’ box” and commit to plans to “turn around the life chances for much of the population”.
On Wednesday schools were told to pause the daily coronavirus testing of students and staff in England, five weeks after it was announced as a “milestone moment” by Williamson, who on Thursday insisted mass testing was “going to be really important part of bringing schools back”.
On the Today programme, the presenter Nick Robinson challenged Williamson by saying many people had decided the minister was not showing enough leadership” and asked the education secretary what grade he would give himself.
He replied: “My focus is just about getting out there doing a job. I’ll let other people do the grading, but my focus is just trying to make sure that at every stage, we deliver as much as we can do for children.”
source: Alexandra Topping
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
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.
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