A Scots parent campaign group has accused the Scottish Government of creating 'zero contracts for kids' over its blended learning plan.
The group has hit out over plans to have secondary pupils return to school for some form of face-to-face teaching ahead of going back full time following the Easter break.
For some it could mean as little as two hours teaching time a week.
During last Tuesday's announcement Nicola Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament that as part of a staggered return to school, primaries 4 to7 would return on Monday, March 15 and Secondary pupils could expect to have some classroom time to 'reacquaint themselves' before going back full time.
During her announcement Ms Sturgeon admitted the plan. wasn't perfect but said it was a way to avoid no school at all.
She said: "Instead of having some young people in secondary schools with no in-school contact at all we have decided to try to do that, even if that is on a fairly minimal basis for the period between now and Easter in order to try to reacquaint them with school, with their friends and in order to prioritise their wellbeing.
“I don’t stand here and say this is perfect but we need to balance all of this to get schools back and get schools back in a way that doesn’t then set back the progress of the country overall.”
However parenting campaign group UsForThem Scotland, which has almost 14,000 members, have blasted the plans.
Organiser Jo Bissett said: "“This is more of a zero-hours contract for thousands of children.
“Pupils in England are now back enjoying full-time, normal education.
“It should be matter of utter shame for politicians in Scotland that they haven’t managed the same.”
While primaries 1 to 3 and nursery pupils went back on February 22, primaries 4-7 won't return until this Monday and it will be another four weeks before older kids are back in the classroom.
In England all schools re-opened to all pupils on March 5.
Jim Thewliss head of School Leaders Scotland has claimed "there isn't a teacher in the land who thinks this (blended learning) is a good idea".
Speaking to BBC Scotland, he said: "You will be hard-pushed to find anyone within my professional association, even any teacher in Scotland, who thinks this is a good idea.
"We understand and appreciate the support required for young people in their health and wellbeing. But this is not the way to do it.
"This is counterproductive in relation to the systems we have set up for remote learning and engaging people in their remote learning. This destroys a great deal of that and distracts school leadership teams from doing that to put a cobbled-together process in place for two weeks."
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said today: “We appreciate only too well the burden being placed on many families as they navigate this COVID pandemic. Our priority has been to ensure a safe return for children and young people to school and nursery as quickly as possible.
“We are also acutely aware of the need to maintain teaching and learning wherever possible. In doing so, the health and wellbeing of our children, young people and staff is paramount guided by the advice of the Chief Medical Officer and public health experts.
“This decision reflects a necessary balance between children being able to attend school and the need to reduce interactions and help drive down community transmission.”
