Coronavirus SA: Social distancing impossible despite student exodus, teachers say

Teachers say they still lack the sanitising products they need to stave off coronavirus and that social distancing is impossible to enforce despite two thirds of students now staying home.

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Social distancing is impossible in South Australian classrooms, despite only a third of students still attending, and many schools still do not have any sanitising products, a union survey has found.

More than 1400 teachers responded to an Australian Education Union callout in just 48 hours, reporting two in every three students were staying at home.

More than half said social distancing could not be achieved in classrooms, and more than 70 per cent said students were simply ignoring advice to keep apart.

One said: “Younger students don’t understand social distancing. I have had students cough on me, sneeze on me, the list goes on.”

Another reported that “older students are congregating in shopping centres and walking to school in large groups in close proximity”.

A majority said daily cleaning regimes were insufficient, while half said staff and students did not have access to any sanitising products.

Many teachers were having to supply their own sanitiser.

AEU state president, Lara Golding said: “If it is the position of the State Government to keep schools and preschools open then there is a clear obligation to ensure the workplace is safe and healthy.

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“This survey is evidence that the Education Minister has failed to provide the resources or ensure that processes are in place to protect members and students from COVID-19.

“This data suggests that the minister’s actions to ensure safety in schools are utterly inadequate to ensure the safety of staff and students attending schools.”

The union has previously called for all schools to be shut down immediately until next term.

The government has committed an extra $5 million to cleaning schools, which will close early for Easter but Premier Steven Marshall ruled out a school shutdown for Term 2.

“I could not be clearer, schools will remain open,” he said, noting it is vital education and supervision are maintained.

The Advertiser is seeking government comment.