BBC will teach kids if schools close down

Should swine flu get to the stage where public services such as schools have to be closed down, then the government has a “Plan B” to keep the wheels of the country rolling.

The BBC would have to clear the schedules and replace those programmes with hours of educational programming if schools were to close.

This is part of the contingency plan created by ministers just in case swine flu or some other variation of flu prevents staff and pupils from getting to school.

The BBC would have to make the most of its channels to provide programming directed to work in line with the national curriculum, and BBC online will be brought in to help out too.

Apparently, there is an emergency clause within the BBC agreements that allows the government to make the BBC broadcast a programme that has not been scheduled.