The Medway Labour and Cooperative Group have today condemned the totally inadequate allocation of air purifiers to schools.  The air purifier scheme was launched by the Conservative government at the start of the year in order to tackle the Covid pandemic in schools.  So far, the government has provided a national allocation of only 7,000 air purifiers for England’s 300,000 classrooms.  Furthermore, the qualifying criteria for allocation of air purifiers are so strictly drawn that it is likely that very few, if any at all, will eventually end up in Medway classrooms.

Following her question on this subject at Medway’s Full Council meeting on Thursday evening, Cllr Lauren Edwards, Labour and Cooperative Councillor for Rochester East said:

‘Once again, Medway’s young people are paying the price of government ineptitude.  They launched this policy with great fanfare but the reality is that it will help very few schools.  Our young people and their teachers deserve better.’

Cllr Clive Johnson, Labour and Cooperative Group Shadow Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:

‘At the point where our young people deserve to be supported as they continue to tackle the social and learning impact of the pandemic, the government has again let them down.  I’ve heard reports of classes being conducted with open windows and children expected to cope by sitting in their coats.  The government has missed an opportunity to make a real difference but, as so often, they make a big announcement that fails to make any difference at all.’