An open letter to Kirsty Williams MS, Minister for Education from Plaid Ifanc Islwyn, on behalf of university students across Wales during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
This letter will be submitted Monday 28/09/2020 at midday, however please continue to add your support to this letter by adding your signature below after this time.
Dear Kirsty Williams MS/AS,
Regarding the recent announcement from the UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, we are concerned about the possible restrictions on university students travelling home for the Christmas period.
Mr Hancock has stated that he would not rule out banning students from returning home at Christmas. The Welsh Government has also not ruled out this possibility here in Wales.
The young people of Wales have already faced an incredible amount of hardship and have often been disproportionately affected by lockdown restrictions and whilst we understand the importance of stopping the spread of COVID-19, we feel forcing university students to remain trapped inside their accommodation blocks over Christmas is not the correct course of action.
We are also aware of a number of international students that are concerned about the prospect of not being able to return home to celebrate Christmas in their home country, with their loved ones.
We feel that this measure would be too extreme and is potentially detrimental to the mental health and wellbeing of our students. We would therefore ask, on behalf of the thousands of students studying in Wales, that you do not consider this excessive course of action.
We hope you appreciate the urgency of this situation and look forward to hearing your response.
Regards,
Ashley Davies - Chair, Plaid Ifanc - Islwyn Branch.
Gwenno Huws & Morgan Bowler-Brown - Co-Chairs, Plaid Ifanc.
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