COULD it be that because of Covid-19 we are on the cusp of a drastic reconfiguration of the school day and its curriculum?

Classrooms are much too small to ensure safe social distancing. That factor could precipitate half-day schooling for the foreseeable future in the light of the uncertainties surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic.

The school day would consist of two distinct segments, 9-12 and 1-4, one half of any year group attending in the morning session, the other the afternoon session.

There would have to be a severe streamlining of the secondary curriculum, concentrating upon the five essential areas productive to personal enrichment and the national economy, namely English, maths, science, languages and IT.

That may well be the bullet we will have to bite on to protect our educational system, even if it means having to jettison the elements which do not come under those headings.

Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs.

Joe the gent

I NOTE from your Quotes of the Day section (The Herald, April 25) that Jon Bon Jovi has cancelled his tour and is giving fans their money back.

I currently hold tickets for gigs at The Hydro, King Tut's, St Luke's, The Academy, Edinburgh Playhouse and The Armadillo. I have tickets for my daughter to Trnsmt and The Killers at Falkirk. All acts, or their agents or venues, have held on to the cash and offered to reschedule, with a single exception. Joe Bonamassa was due to play Edinburgh Playhouse tonight (Monday, April 27). He's giving me my money back, no questions asked. What a refreshing change. Cheers Joe. I'll buy another ticket from you when all this is over.

Steve Brennan, Coatbridge.

Space invader

UZMA Mir pleads "I'm over 50 but I don't want to be the invisible woman" (The Herald, April 24.) I would willingly change places with her as I want to become invisible. I appear to have a modern version of the Gestapo on my trail.

It started about five weeks ago as I sat suitably socially-distanced having my lunch in my wee garden. All was quiet, then Brenda came along. I tried to make sure that she kept her distance, which worked at first, but over time she is not obeying orders.

I shared my picnic with her, apples and grapes, and that was probably a big mistake as I now cannot even open the kitchen porch door without her being there. I cannot water the plants, go to the garden shed or to my car –- she is ever-present. I am developing a phobia about being spied-upon. I tried wetting her with the watering can but she appears to like it. What does one do to discourage an over-friendly blackbird?

Brenda dear, give me some space. Unlike Uzma, I crave invisibility.

Thelma Edwards, Kelso.

Is the ba’ burst?

THERE is a possibility that, in spite of the Coronavirus pandemic, sporting events may eventually resume, but would be performed behind closed doors. In which case and purely for the protection of participants in football, a whole new set of protocols and rules would be required and these could be presented in the irrepressible style of the late Jimmy Reid, when he was addressing the world-famous John Brown work-in:

“There’ll be nae handshakes, there’ll be nae contact within two metres when tacklin’, there’ll be nae jersey tuggin’, there’ll be nae spitting, there’ll be nae huggin’ and most importantly, there’ll be nae kissin’ after a score!”

How could our version of the beautiful game possibly be executed in today’s terms, without these essential ingredients?

Ian Cooper, Bearsden.