Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Education – in the Senedd at 2:45 pm on 17 March 2021.
I'm not aware that we're asking children to wear masks in an unsupervised situation at all. Children are supervised on school transport and when they're in classrooms they are supervised. The advise that we're giving is that when social distancing cannot be maintained, then masks should be worn because that offers a level of protection, as I said, to both staff and learners. There are times when masks are not appropriate, such as at meal times, when outside, when social distancing is possible, when learners are running around, playing active games, and where learners do have indeed a genuine, specific barrier to wearing a mask. What I would say to parents and to pupils is I'm very grateful for their continuing willingness to engage actively with us, as Welsh Government, and with headteachers and recognise the steps that we can all take to minimise disruption to education and to keep them learning. And I'm very grateful for their willingness to continue to do so.