Teaching unions have expressed concerns after it was announced pupils will return to school from Monday.
The proposals, which were confirmed on Tuesday, will see kids from P1 to P3 return, as well as youngsters attending nursery.
Senior pupils who require the use of practical materials to complete assessments will also be allowed to go back, but the plans will remain on a phased basis, with more pupils possibly set to return on March 15, pending a further review.
But the EIS teaching union says their members have raised concerns about returning to classrooms while Covid-19 case rates remain stubbornly high in some areas of the country.
That includes Forth Valley, which recorded the highest case rates per 100,000 in the week up to February 12, while the number being treated in the region’s hospitals had soared to 171.
EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan welcomed plans for senior pupils and school staff to be tested twice a week, but argued that teachers should be prioritised in the vaccine rollout.
Mr Flanagan added: “Everyone is supportive of face-to-face teaching returning as soon as possible – that should not override safety concerns, however, and teachers will be understandably nervous around today’s announcement.
“Community infection levels have fallen but still remain high in some areas and at 6 percent the test positivity rate in Scotland remains above the level the World Health Organisation recommends as indicative of the virus being under control.
“Against this backdrop, the EIS continues to believe that a blended learning model, with around half of pupils in classes at any one time to allow for physical distancing, would have provided a more cautious and more appropriate basis for pupils returning to schools.
“Whilst Scottish Government timelines can appear to be self-fulfilling prophecies, there will need to be a meticulous analysis of this first phase and its impact, before any further return is progressed.”
The continued debate over schools followed continued optimism over the impact of the jag drive, with the number of deaths linked to the virus falling for the third week in a row.
In Forth Valley, a total of 73,128 people have now received their first dose of the vaccine, making up almost 29 per cent of the adult population.
In Stirling, the latest figure sits at 15,105 - although this is likely to be an underestimate due to discrepancies in reporting details of those receiving the jag at GP surgeries.
Meanwhile Mid Scotland and Fife representative Dean Lockhart believes there is a need for students to be given extra support as they adjust back to the classroom in the coming months.
The Tory MSP is calling for a national tutoring scheme open to supply teachers and other qualified tutors and has also asked for more help be offered to pupils set to start primary or secondary in August.
Mr Lockhart said: “We owe it to our young people to treat this as a national emergency and that is why a national plan to support teachers across Stirling is desperately needed.
“Children have missed out on months of proper schooling. Stirling’s pupils must not have their opportunities compromised by the restrictions.
“I want to see Scottish Government investment in tutoring for the most disadvantaged, a commitment to recruit more new teachers and to urgently conduct extensive research that will ensure targeted and effective use of funds.
“These measures would help ensure that no child misses out on opportunities due to the pandemic and they are all enabled to catch up and excel. Times are far from normal. It is time to think creatively.”
