Final week of school term only for children of essential service workers
TERRITORY students will only be allowed at school in the final week of term one if no other arrangements can be made, while teachers undergo preparations for term two
Northern Territory
Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern Territory. Followed categories will be added to My News.
TERRITORY students will only be allowed at school in the final week of term one if no other arrangements can be made, while teachers undergo preparations for term two.
It is unclear whether term two will take place in the classroom or at home, with the Department of Education developing work units for students to continue their learning after the holidays.
The professional development staff days, running April 6 to April 9, will be dedicated to staff but Education Minister Selena Uibo said no child would be turned away from school.
Instead students who had no other arrangements would be able to attend, with school to remain open as per usual next week.
“The Territory Labor Government’s primary focus for our children in these unprecedented times is ensuring they continue to receive their education,” she said.
“We are implementing tough measures, including strict border control to make sure the coronavirus doesn’t do to the Territory what it’s doing to other parts of the country and the world.
“We know many parents are anxious and we know many teachers and school staff are anxious, so for the rest of this week and next week, parents can choose to keep kids at home.”
“Their health and wellbeing is important to us. We are in this together and we will get through this together.”
The Department of Education has been working to develop units of work for students to continue their learning in term two, whether that be at school or at home.
This includes learning resources and guidelines for families to enable them to take an active role in their child’s learning.
From the start of term two, these will be available online. Hard copies of these resources will be distributed to all government schools for every student across the Northern Territory to access.
Territory Alliance leader Terry Mills, a former school principal, earlier called on the NT Government to close schools to all but vulnerable students and children of essential workers to prevent the community transmission of coronavirus.
“We understand that the workforce across our essential services sector need to be supported, need to know that their children are being supported,” he said.
“We are all in this together and we need to recognise that some families do not have the home environment, including no access to computers, to provide learning from home. Families who know they are unable to provide home learning should be allowed to send their children to school.”
It comes after Queensland announced on Thursday morning its schools would close from next week to all but the children of essential workers.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced schools would move to pupil-free days from next week, although anyone with a job would still be able to send their children to school.
“Next week Queensland schools will move to student free days … schools will remain open to allow children of essential workers and vulnerable children to remain at school,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
The ruling applies to all schools, not just state schools.
The pupil-free days will allow teachers to remain at work and prepare future learning materials, Ms Palaszczuk said.
In South Australia, schools and preschools will be pupil-free in the week before the Easter holidays, and schools will move to online learning in term two.
The break, originally scheduled to begin on April 10, will instead begin on April 6.
Amazing NT News subscription offer: Only $1 for first 28 days
South Australian Education Minister John Gardner said the extra four days would be classed as pupil-free days at all public schools and preschools to enable teachers to “plan and prepare” for a transition to flexible learning arrangements in Term 2 where some students would be on school grounds and others at home.
Originally published as Final week of school term only for children of essential service workers