Students, parents rejoice as remote learning ends

Families across Victoria breathed a sigh of relief after it was announced remote learning was once again over.

Parents have been given the green light to go on school grounds as students rejoiced over the reopening of campuses after a snap three days of remote learning.

Pupils aged 12 and over must wear masks indoors at school, and outside where they can’t physically distance, the Department of Education has confirmed.

Parents and carers will also be permitted onsite with a mask and if they keep their distance.

School camps and excursions are back on from Thursday after schools were closed for three days due to the five-day lockdown.

The Chard family celebrated the news by “jumping about”, said 9-year-old Emily, who was excited to return to friends and sport at South Yarra Primary, while mum Kate was looking forward to “getting some work done”.

Dad Jamie had been relegated to the shed during three days learning from home when the kids took over the house

The Chard family are happy to be going back to school. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“In many ways we have all embraced online, they’ve just got on and done what’s required —

they’re going to be a very adaptive generation,” said Mrs Chard.

Emily said “even though it was just three days, the last waves were a really long time”.

“I can socialise with my friends more at school, I can do sport again — lots of swimming and netball — and we have little buddies,” she said.

Australian Principals’ Federation’s Victorian president Tina King said parents and teachers would need to be mindful of kids’ wellbeing as they returned to campuses.

“We’re healing wounds from extended lockdown last year and these circumstances tend to aggravate angst and feelings of apprehension,” she said.

“Hopefully they’ll treat it as an extended holiday — for the majority, that will be the case, but as adults we have to be conscious.”

Ms King said schools would set COVID safe rules, which would be “little things we can sacrifice to keep onsite”.

Originally published as Students, parents rejoice as remote learning ends