Pupils left stranded amid volcanic ash chaos
HUNDREDS of pupils and teachers from West Lothian have been stranded abroad amid the travel chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud that has hovered over the country for the past week.
Schools were open as normal this week despite 220 teachers and staff from nursery, primary and secondary schools being absent because they could not get home following the flight ban over Britain.
A total of 429 pupils were also unable to make it back from family Easter holidays in time for schools starting back on Monday after the eruption of volcano Eyjafjallajoekull in Iceland, which has turned most of Europe into a no-fly zone.
Debbie McDonald, who works for the Santander bank in Bathgate, has been worried sick as her daughter Rebecca, six, and son Luke, five, are stuck in Marbella, Spain.
The children were on a holiday with their grandparents and were due back last Saturday, but distraught mum Debbie has been told she may not see her kids again until 4 May.
She said: "It's been really tough. They were only going for a week as a special treat from their gran and grandad, but I've been told they won't get a flight until a week on Tuesday now.
"It's very upsetting and I was crying the other night and my phone is going to be sky-high.
"Although I want them home straight away I'm scared for them going on a plane now.
"It's a 22-hour drive to the nearest ferry port, which is a bit much for my mum and dad, so they've been staying in a hotel which is costing them 1,000 a week so hopefully the insurance will be able to cover some of the costs at least."
The secondary schools with the highest amount of teachers absent on Monday were Linlithgow (14); St Kentigern's (12); and West Calder and Deans (both 11). Croftmalloch Primary School had six teachers stranded.
A West Lothian Council spokeswoman said: "All schools are open, providing cover from within their own resources or using supply teachers, at the discretion of the head teacher or other senior member of staff in the absence of the head teacher.
"We are aware of other staff who are also caught up in the travel disruption, however, the numbers are still being collated.
"We do not have information on the numbers of supply teachers being used at this stage, as this is organised by individual schools.
"Schools will be monitoring the situation with regards to exams, and we will be working with the Scottish Qualification Agency to discuss any problems for our pupils."
Six staff and 46 students from the West Lothian Schools Wind Ensemble were delayed coming home from a music tour in Huttau, Austria.
Stevie Gray, the group's principal officer of instrumental music, said: "We flew out on Monday, 12 April and were supposed to return on Saturday, 17 April.
"Our flight back was cancelled, but we were able to arrange a coach to Calais, then the ferry to Dover and coach transport to Livingston. We arrived in Livingston late last Sunday, which we all thought was pretty good.
"Apart from the excitement of getting home we had a great trip and the band's three performances were really excellent."
Fears have now been raised over crucial revision time for pupils with exams looming on 28 April, while some may not even get home to sit their Standard Grades or Highers.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority has procedures in place for candidates who can't take their exams or whose performance in exams is affected by external events.
A spokeswoman said: "We will ensure that candidates will not be disadvantaged and that their work will be assessed and qualifications awarded in line with recognised frameworks.
"The procedures would come into play if candidates were unable to return to take exams due to 'ash' flying restrictions."
Planes due to fly in British airspace have been grounded since last Thursday, with an estimated 150,000 British people forced to stay put abroad.
The British and Scottish Governments said they were prepared to send Navy ships to rescue British citizens, while flights were given the go-ahead to take off again yesterday.
The Scottish Government has also launched a helpline to offer advice to travellers and their families affected by the air travel disruption.
The service will be available to concerned relatives calling from this country and will complement the FCO helpline which will remain the main point of contact for travellers needing specific assistance while overseas.
The helpline gives advice and information on airline and travel operator contact details; the latest information issued by travel operators, including any additional transport capacity that can help both in Scotland and the rest of the UK; and how to transfer money to relatives.
The helpline number is 0800 027 0504, or from overseas +44 800 027 0504. The latest information on the volcanic ash situation is at www.scotland.gov.uk/volcanicash
Anyone concerned about the safety of a British national stranded abroad can call the Foreign Office helpline on 020 7008 0000.
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Weather for Bathgate
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South west
