Teachers have called on the Welsh Government to draw up a nationally agreed plan for how schools deliver remote and blended distance learning in the continuing coronavirus pandemic.
More than half of all schools in Wales have reported cases of coronavirus since September, according to latest Public Health Wales data.
The NASUWT Cymru teachers’ union said it was committed to keeping schools open safely but warned the pandemic has had "an unprecedented impact on children’s education” and better safety must be ensured for teachers when classrooms are open.
More than eight months into the pandemic, and with school closures and thousands of pupils and staff missing weeks of face to face work to self isolate in Wales, the union said a clearer plan for teaching, learning and school safety is urgently needed.
It warned that without an effective programme of national action and measures there is a "very serious risk" that fewer teachers will be available to continue teaching and more pupils will be forced to spend time out of school to self isolate.
The NASUWT Cymru has written to Education Minister Kirsty Williams urging her to take action and suggesting a plan for how education should now be run in the continuing disruption of the pandemic.
It said teachers and headteachers are tired and stressed by extra work and safety concerns caused by Covid-19.
The union’s 10-point plan came as schools in Ceredigion were the latest to be hit by cororavirus. Schools in Cardigan have been shut by the council after new cases among pupils.
A slight rise in coronavirus in schools across Wales was also reported by Public Health Wales last week and a recent report from the Welsh Government's Technical Advisory Group warned the virus spreads more easily among schoolchildren than previously thought.
The Nasuwt’s 10-point plan also includes demands for increased spot checks to ensure schools are following guidance to reduce the risk of infection and more funding for PPE and safety measures.
In a letter to Kirsty Williams NASUWT general secretary Dr Patrick Roach said teachers and headteachers are increasingly reporting high levels of stress and fatigue as a consequence of trying to maintain a covid-safe environment in schools and colleges.
His letter added: “Our members report that they are struggling to cope with significant additional workload pressures which are impacting adversely on their ability to continue to provide the education that all children and young people deserve.
“It is evident that teachers cannot teach and children cannot learn effectively where their health or safety is at risk. The coronavirus pandemic has delivered an unprecedented impact on children’s education.
“We believe that without an urgent and effective programme of national action and measures to ensure the safety and sustainability of education provision during the pandemic, there is very a serious risk that fewer teachers will be available to continue teaching and that more pupils will be forced to spend time out of school whilst they self-isolate.”
The union said its plan was designed “to protect the education of children and young people whilst ensuring that our schools and colleges can continue to operate safely in the interests of children and young people and the education workforce”.
The union stressed that it was "committed to keeping schools and colleges open, provided that appropriate measures are in place to keep pupils and the workforce safe.
"We look to the Welsh Government and employers to demonstrate their commitment to the safety of children and young people and those who educate them."
Asked to respond a Welsh Government spokesman said: “We note that this plan is not Wales-specific.
"In Wales, we have engaged with teachers’ unions throughout the pandemic when developing guidance to help keep our schools, learners and staff safe.
“The operational guidance for schools is reviewed regularly, based on new and emerging scientific evidence.”
