Fears of overcrowding and lockdowns have teachers threatening a walkout

Teachers in the state’s Far North are threatening a walkout as Covid cases rise, leaving school staff worried they won’t be able to return to their families for Christmas.

APY Lands teachers have had their pleas to leave the state’s Far North rejected, after fears a Covid lockdown will prevent them from returning home for the festive season – and some are ready to just walk out.

Teachers were guaranteed a return to their place of residence during the school break, originally taking leave from Wednesday December 8, which allowed them to complete the journey from Central Australia – more than1500km from Adelaide.

Now, teachers are threatening to walk out from the job after the Education Department rejected their pleas to go out early to avoid a lockdown.

Australian Education Union president Lara Golding said the decision has left the teachers frantic.

“They are now frantic that a lockdown will trap them on the Lands for an indefinite period and stop them from seeing their families over Christmas,” Ms Golding said.

“They are also worried that their houses could be requisitioned as accommodation for other workers also trapped on the lands.”

The teachers have committed to delivering classes online from Adelaide until the end of the school year as the AEU lodges a dispute with the South Australian Employment Tribunal.

“We care about our safety and wellbeing of our members and will act to preserve their entitlements.

“It’s sad indictment upon the government that they treat some of the most isolated education workers in the state with inflexible indifference.”

APY Lands manager Richard King spoke about the vulnerability of the area’s people, as the case numbers in the Northern Territory reach 59.

“Wilcannia showed us that Aboriginal populations are vulnerable, and that there is overcrowding in housing and when it does get in it’ll spread very quickly, so response times have to be very quick,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Education Department said in-class learning will continue until the end of the school year.

“Face-to-face learning will continue at APY Lands schools next week unless there is a need to enact a site closure due to a confirmed case,” the spokesperson said.

“The department has prepared contingencies to repatriate staff who wish to leave their community in the event of a localised outbreak.

“Under the contingencies, staff will need to get tested and wait for a negative result before travel”.