Scotland's education secretary will set out the latest plans to get children back into school as concerns mount over "blended learning".
John Swinney will face MSPs at Holyrood on Tuesday for an update on the August 11 return to class. The Scottish Government is working with councils on a part-time model which could see some children in class for just a day a week.
Pressure is growing for a more ambitious return, but there there is alarm that moving to fast could spark another wave of coronavirus infection and send Scotland back to lockdown.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed Swinney will make a statement to parliament. At her daily briefing today, Sturgeon said: "We want to get children back to education on a full-time normal basis as quickly as possible.
"That is because of the importance of getting children back into education, starting the process of any catch-up, but also because we recognise that from a mental health perspective, getting children not just in school but interacting with their peers and friends on a normal basis is really important. For all those reasons, that is our objective."
It has to be "safe" and take into account physical health of children and teachers, she warned.
Sturgeon addressed concerns as a new report underlined education as a developing crisis.
The Scottish Government's economic advisory group, published today, warned: "The central importance of the role of education in the reconstruction of the economy is unarguable, and the breadth of what this means needs to be reconsidered.
"We need to accelerate existing concepts being developed in schools to prepare some children in their later years for vocational roles and apprenticeships. We must strive to ensure that learning is designed to match the skills we need in Scotland in future."
