Parents have hit out at the Scottish Government's announcement that schools could reopen on February 22 - but only to some pupils.
Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement to the Scottish Parliament today during her coronavirus update and said after meeting with the Cabinet today they had come to the decision that children in early years and Primaries one, two and three, would provisionally return to school later this month.
There are also provisional plans to allow older pupils to return in order to facilitate them gaining qualifications.
Ms Sturgeon also said a regular covid testing system for pupils and staff would finally be introduced.
She told Holyrood: "The judgment the Cabinet arrived at this morning, based on the advice of our expert advisers, is that if we all agree to abide with the lockdown restrictions for a bit longer, so that our progress in suppressing the virus continues, we can begin a phased return to school from February 22.
"Our intention is that from week beginning February 22 there will be a full-time return of early learning and childcare for all children below school age, a full-time return to school for pupils in primaries 1-3, and - a part-time return, but on a very limited basis, for senior phase pupils to allow in-school practical work that is necessary for the completion of national qualification courses."
Ms Sturgeon said getting all children back to school "as soon as possible" was a priority
She added: "It is a statement of the obvious that all of us want to see children back in full-time, face to face education just as soon as possible.
"The closure of school premises to most pupils right now is necessary - unfortunately - in the interests of protecting the country from the harm of this virus.
"But evidence of the wider health, developmental and social harms being experienced by children concern all of us.
"I am also acutely aware of the pressure school closures is putting on working parents and on family life more generally.
"I have to be candid that our room for manoeuvre, given the current state of the pandemic, is limited.
"But I want to be equally candid about the government’s determination to use every inch of headroom we have to get children back to school."
However parents took to social media to react to the statement, with some slamming the decision.
Sharon Kane said it was "an absolute farce", adding: "It's all mixed messages, lockdown until March yet children to go back to school sooner on public transport mixing with other kids who mix with various other people outside school....here we go again, schools will be closed again before summer, an absolute farce."
Margaret Blair said: "We heard this last year , children would be gradually introduced back to school . What happened ... within days all were herded back into school . Teachers were never given additional support."
Martin Allen said: "Shocking thousands of poor pupils forced back to Canon folder covid risk schools , because the SNP failed to remove stay@ home education poverty and education engagement failure .
"A rush back of cannon fodder covid kids because SNP and education failed to provide poor pupils with a home learning computer ? Where has the money went?"
But not everyone was critical.
Steven Donnelly said: "It's a start and at least we have some sort of time frame to work with here but there has to be a proper plan for easing restrictions and getting back to normal."
