Students in NSW are set to return to school one day a week from mid-May but how will it work?
“We will have extra cleaning, extra sanitiser, extra health provisions."
New South Wales school students will go back to school one day a week from May 11, which is week three of term two.
“Initially it will just be a day a week, then progressively two days, and then we hope by the end of term two we’ll be in a position to have students going back to school in a full-time capacity by term three,” said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
Ms Berejiklian said it’s hoped children will be able to return to school full-time for term three, which begins on July 20.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is hoping students will return to school full time for term three.
How will this work?
Ms Berejiklian said the staggered return will managed by individual schools.
“We want them to make sure they are having about a quarter of students on campus each day, but how they break that group up will be a matter for [schools],” NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said.
“But we are asking them to certainly consider family groupings, keeping siblings together, so that that will make it a lot easier for parents as we transition back to normal schooling.”
What extra measures will be put in place?
“We will have extra cleaning, extra sanitiser, extra health provisions, including forehead thermometers, and also extra health equipment in our sick bays,” said Sarah Mitchell.
“And we’ll also be asking parents to stagger drop-off and pick-up times, and recess and lunch breaks within our schools.”
In the staggered return to school plan, schools are being asked to send siblings together.
What about other Australian states?
In Queensland, term two commenced on Monday, with the state government’s new online learning portal overwhelmed by 1.8 million students trying to access it. The system crashed after just 30 minutes and remained down on Tuesday morning.
Schools in Victoria are set to remain closed throughout term two but restrictions may be relaxed if the coronavirus curve continues to flatten.
In Western Australia, schools will be open for the start of term two on 29 April but attendance will be voluntary.
In Tasmania, home learning will continue for Tasmanian students in term two which starts on Tuesday April 28.
In the Northern Territory all students are expected back at school from April 20.
In South Australia, school is open with the choice to keep children home or send them to school with the parents.
