Portsmouth University asks students to lobby MPs over lockdown easing

Multiple universities and higher education bodies have been adding pressure to the government over lockdown easing relating to students after they were excluded from the next phase of easing.

Portsmouth University has asked their students to lobby their MPs over lockdown easing for students amid fears that the government could delay students’ return to campus until mid-May. 

Graham Galbraith, vice-chancellor of Portsmouth University, said: “My students have tolerated a lot of disruption this academic year and almost all have behaved extremely well. So to hear on Monday about what will reopen next week but for there to be complete silence on when or even if all of my students will be able to get back into the classroom is unacceptable.

“Universities don’t normally ask their students to write to their MPs, it is not how we operate. But it has become abundantly clear that this government is not listening to universities or to the evidence. It might, though, listen to its MPs if they get a mailbag of angry letters from students and their parents.”

Only students on certain practical courses have been allowed back so far for in-person teaching. Around 1 million students not studying practical degrees still do not know when they may return to in-person teaching. 

Universities have reported that as many as half or more of their student population have returned to campus since Christmas.

Universities UK, the body representing vice-chancellors, said they had been met with a “communications vacuum,” leaving universities unable to properly prepare for the final term. The body has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, criticising the government’s handling of universities during the pandemic and lockdown easing.

It staggers me that the government will not allow us to offer all of you face-to-face teaching. And it beggars belief that we have no explanation why

– Paul Hayes

Paul Hayes, Portsmouth University’s deputy vice-chancellor, said in the message to students that there was no evidence in-person teaching with Covid-secure environments posed a considerable infection risk.

He added that in-person teaching was safer than other activities permitted from 12 April such as attending the gym, visiting a pub, or going to a hairdresser.

Hayes wrote: “It staggers me that the government will not allow us to offer all of you face-to-face teaching. And it beggars belief that we have no explanation why.”

Portsmouth’s message included a letter template for students to send to their MPs, warning that delaying the reopening of universities “hurts students, benefits no one, and is inconsistent with other government decisions”.

New Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows that three-quarters of students are residing at the address where they began university in September 2020.

The ONS data also suggests that online or remote learning and campus closures have greatly impacted student wellbeing, with 29% struggling with loneliness as compared to 7% of the population.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: “Students on practical and creative courses started returning from 8 March, and we will be reviewing options for the timing of the return of all remaining students by the end of the Easter holidays. Decisions will take into account the need to protect progress across the wider roadmap out of the pandemic, including the spread of the virus in communities and pressures on the NHS.”