Former politician Michael Gove has expressed his worries about the decision to close schools during the Covid pandemic.

Link to rising knife crime and antisocial behavior

Gove also blamed the lockdown for contributing to the surge in knife crime and antisocial behavior among teenagers in the UK.

Tragic incident highlights the issue

Gove's comments come after the tragic murder of 15-year-old schoolgirl Elianne Andam, who was stabbed to death on her way to school in Croydon, south London.

Gove's previous support for lockdown measures

Gove, who was known for his pro-lockdown stance during the pandemic and often aligned himself with former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, spoke candidly about his feelings of responsibility for the impact of lockdown on children.

Importance of getting children back into school

Gove emphasized the importance of getting children, especially teenagers, back into school, as truancy and absence from school can lead to antisocial behavior, involvement in criminal activities such as gang life and county lines.

Uncertainty over school closures

When asked if closing schools was a mistake, Gove expressed his worry and admitted uncertainty about the decision. He said, "I worry about that a lot. I don't know."

Evaluating the overall impact of lockdown measures

Gove acknowledged that overall, more decisions made during the pandemic were right than wrong. However, he considers closing schools to be one of the most difficult decisions, with concerns about potential consequences.

Supporting troubled youths

While discussing David Cameron's "hug a hoodie" approach to unruly youths, Gove refrained from criticizing the former Prime Minister and instead emphasized the need to provide support and guide them back into school.