The Education Secretary says schoolchildren could watch England’s early-morning World Cup match against Mexico on Monday and still make it to class after head coach Thomas Tuchel said pupils should be allowed “an excuse for school.”
Victory over Congo DR on Wednesday set up a meeting with the co-hosts in Mexico City that will kick off at 1 a.m. BST, likely impacting the size of the television audience able to watch.
In the past it has been common for schools and employers to allow England games in the latter stages of major tournaments to be shown when they clash with working hours, but Monday’s kick-off in the small hours poses a unique obstacle.
However, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson does not believe watching the match necessarily means children need to miss school.
“It’s a late game, but children can be in school the next day,” she told the Press Association.
Asked if she believed children can both watch the game and still make it into school, she said: “Well, I think they can, yes, but it’s for parents to decide how they manage this, and of course, it depends on the age of your children, how they feel.
“But this is about decisions for individual families.”
German coach Tuchel had encouraged parents to “write an excuse for school and let them watch football.”
He added: “Come on. There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch.
“There will be a big, big match on in four days and we need the support of everyone, and especially of the children.”
Skills minister Baroness Jacqui Smith did not quite agree with Tuchel’s comments and suggested young people may miss out on important learning by writing excuses to schools.
Speaking to LBC on Thursday, she said: “I don’t want to be a killjoy here, but I’ll tell you what the biggest killjoy is — young people who then don’t have the learning to be able to go on and do what they need to do in life.
“I quite understand if people want to watch the match, including young people, I will be.
“I’ll be having a little disco nap in the afternoon and I’ll be celebrating our victory the next morning when I go into work, looking obviously as fresh as a daisy.”
But, the general secretary of the National Education Union, Daniel Kebede, suggested a more flexible start to Monday morning would work.
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He said: “It would be very good I think if the Secretary of State recognised that it’s an important event in our calendar and allow a flexible start on that Monday morning.
“These are such important events in our calendar, and it would be good if as many young people as possible could.”
England were facing one of their most humiliating World Cup exits having fallen behind in the seventh minute to a goal from Congo DR’s Brian Cipenga, who plays in Spain’s second division.
They were saved by a remarkable late double from Harry Kane, whose goals set up a difficult meeting at the Estadio Azteca.
