Nine education unions have called on the Welsh Government to give a “centralised, coherent response” to the reopening of schools following concerns about the new strain of coronavirus.

In a joint letter the unions say they “are at a complete loss to understand” how schools can begin a phased return of classroom learning from next week, after it was announced the Covid-19 variant was 70 per cent more transmissible.

On Sunday, First Minister Mark Drakeford said the plan would be kept “under consideration” while the Government’s technical advisory group looked at all available evidence, but defended the “phased and flexible return” which allows schools to choose when they reopen based on the Covid situation in their area.

But later on Sunday the nine unions said they were “extremely frustrated” the plans to resume face-face learning between January 11 and 18 were being kept to, “despite increasing infection rates and pressure on the NHS”.

Their letter to the Welsh Government said: “We strongly believe that we need to err on the side of caution and ensure, in advance, that we have the medical ‘evidence and information’ to ensure that any decisions are the correct ones.”

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They added: “Given that all of Wales is in Level 4, we are of the opinion that there should be a centralised, coherent response from Welsh Government regarding all educational settings, rather than leaving decisions at local level.”

The letter was signed by ASCL Cymru, GMB, NASUWT Cymru, NAHT Cymru, NEU Cymru, Ucac, Unison, Unite and Voice.

Three unions, NASUWT, NAHT Cymru and NEU Cymru have explicitly asked for the full reopening of schools to be delayed.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Drakeford said the needs of pupils would continue to be “at the forefront of our minds” when asked if he would reconsider the return plan.

He told BBC Radio Wales: “Of course we will continue to make decisions in the light of the best knowledge, research and information that’s available to us at the time.

“But as a government, we will not lose sight of the fact that we have a generation of young people here in Wales whose lives have been so badly disrupted in 2020, whose education needs to be put back on track.

“And it is their needs we will continue to have at the forefront of our minds as we organise with our colleagues a safe return to school.”

Mr Drakeford said that there was currently no evidence that the new strain caused a more severe illness in young people, although it does transmit “far more quickly”.