READER LETTER: Government, what are you doing to get students home for Christmas?

Tuesday 10 November 2020

A local student at a UK boarding school is urging the Government to do more to ensure all Jersey young people studying abroad can get home for Christmas.

"I am writing regarding off-island students returning home to Jersey for Christmas.

"Thankfully, today (Monday 9 November) I've been told that boarding school students don't need to self-isolate when returning to the island (unlike university students) but I am having the issue of my flights getting cancelled nearly weekly.

There are two concerns I have.

One is the communication from the Government - not good enough. They need to be contacting students directly on what's happening as students aren't on-island to read the news and are trying to focus on their studies.

Pictured: The Government must improve its communication with students.

I can't believe the lack of communication - students don't know where they will be this Christmas and after the year we have all had, they deserve to be with their families around that table for Christmas. But for many, which did include myself, will either be having to self-isolate on Christmas Day or not even be on the island.

Lastly, our Government working with Blue Islands to get students home.

Southampton isn't very accessible for many and Blue Islands charge a fortune for flights - that's why it's not a good deal at all for the students, only a good deal for Blue Islands. The Government doesn't understand that travel is completely different in England than it is to Jersey - students need to know what's going on before it's too late. They have to book taxis, trains, flights etc and the longer its lefts, the more costly it's going to become which isn't fair on the students.

Maybe the Government should be funding these travel arrangements and helping the hundreds of students that are working so hard to get good qualifications to then bring back into the island to help our economy.

Pictured: The Government must ensure there are measures in place to ensure students can get home for Christmas.

I hope that by me speaking out, it gives the Government the wake up call that they desperately need.

Fortunately, I have been told this afternoon that boarding school students don't need to self-isolate when returning to the island because of the high restrictions they have in place unlike universities who are in and out of campuses.

This doesn't mean I'm not going to stop fighting to get university students home for Christmas (even if they have to isolate, which I think they should do depending on the region they are coming from).

I am overwhelmed with the amount of messages I've received from university students thanking me for speaking out about the issue and the positive response it has had from the public.

Sadly, I did get this message from a university student: "I'm a student and I can't be asked to deal with the current issues surrounding travel so i'm not coming home till next summer."

This hurts me to read and is exactly why I will continue to fight to help students get back home for Christmas, where they belong after the year we have all been through and they deserve some sort of normality."

Jack Lewis Rondel
Jersey student studying at a UK boarding school

The Government's view:

In a statement released this morning, Assistant Education Minister Deputy Jeremy Maçon said: "I continue to take very seriously the questions and concerns students studying overseas and their families have about travelling back to the Island for Christmas. I would like to express my sympathy to all families for any anxiety which these uncertainties are causing.

"My department recently launched a survey to reach out to all Jersey students studying overseas to understand their intentions regarding travelling home for the festive period. This survey closed yesterday and we will use this information to inform our planning.

"Officers from my department form part of a 'Travel Cell' established to monitor closely the dynamic picture of Jersey's connectivity as a second wave of the pandemic takes hold in the UK and across Europe. The Cell is meeting again this week and I hope to be able to advise you of an agreed plan by the end of the week. Contingency arrangements are also being worked up by the Government of Jersey for students who cannot self isolate at home. We are aware that some of the returning students may not be able to do this safely and the matter is being reviewed and the situation closely monitored.

"Discussions are also due to take place at the Competent Authority Board, on Wednesday, and this group of Ministers will be reviewing all the options available and steering the plan."