NSW school return: Attendance rate soars to 86 per cent
The Department of Education recorded a major rise in public school attendance as students returned to classrooms on Monday. It comes as the Premier welcomed the low numbers of motorists using newly-created free CBD parking spots.
NSW
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Children across the state made their return to NSW public schools full-time today with 86 per cent of students heading back to the classroom.
According to NSW Department of Education data, the attendance rat is still below the average 92 per cent under normal circumstances.
The return coincided with extra transport staff marshalled to keep people safe and 1000 free carparking spots established at Moore Park.
Parents were asked to drive their children to school to free up space on public transport.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said social distancing on buses and trains remained important, which includes limiting 12 passengers to a bus, but Transport NSW says “no student will be turned away”.
“No school student will be turned away from any public transport, even if this means physical distancing won’t always be possible,” a Transport NSW statement said.
Adults may even be asked to wait for the next service.
Green stickers have been attached to seats advising commuters where to sit at a safe distance, which are ironically hidden behind seated travellers making it impossible for passengers to see them.
Cleaning has increased across trains and buses and passengers have been encouraged to use an Opal card.
Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Corboy said police would be patrolling school zones.
“All road users, including pedestrians, need to consider their own behaviour in school zones; pay attention to the flashing signs, comply with requests from school crossing supervisors, and keep everyone safe on our roads,” he said.
Meanwhile, as many as 1000 free carparking spots established at Moore Park to help commuters driving into the CBD remained unused this morning.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian welcomed the low numbers of motorists using overflow parking at Moore Park, saying people are heeding calls to work from home.
Only five cars were parked at the specially-created facility by 9am today.
“I’m very pleased that there hasn’t been a mad rush, that people are considering their options, and doing it in a very considered way,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The state opposition said bus services in the city’s west were at COVID-19 capacity in the morning peak.
Asked whether the public transport system will cope with more people heading into work, the Premier said it’s too early to tell.
“I think that’s yet to be determined, we’re still in the very early stages,” she said.
There were only three cars parked in the huge overflow facility at 8am.
The government announced the free ‘event-style’ parking site at Moore Park last week in a bid to encourage workers to drive into the city rather than take public transport.
CEO of Parking Australia Stuart Norman criticised the Moore Park parking facility when it was announced, saying it would undercut private operators.
Commuters who park at Moore Park are being offered shuttle services into the city.
Transport Minister Andrew Constance has told adult commuters to consider getting off a full bus or train carriage if students need to board, to ensure no child is left waiting.
With schools returning to the classroom full-time from Monday, Mr Constance urged adults to avoid public transport in the morning and afternoon to make room for students.
About 110,000 students use the regular public transport network to get to and from school and, with buses and trains facing severe passenger limits due to COVID-19 restrictions, there is a risk the network will be overloaded.
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Last Friday, 18,300 students used the wider public transport system, Mr Constance said. The government wants parents to heed calls to drive their children to class, if they cannot take a dedicated school bus. It is hoped that the number of students catching regular public transport will drop to as few as 50,000 for the return to full-time school.
Buses and trains are already at capacity in peak periods.
“I think most adults out there would be self-respecting enough to know that leaving a kid on the side of the road is a no-go,” Mr Constance said.
Despite the new limit of 12 passengers for regular buses, drivers have been told not to leave students behind.
“We don't want any school kid left on the side of the road,” Mr Constance said.
Officials said students from the same school would not have to socially distance on public transport, in line with advice for the schoolground. That means a group of students would be allowed to board a bus or a train carriage together even if it exceeds limits.
Other passengers will be asked to stay 1.5m away from school groups.
Mr Constance said about 100 public transport marshals deployed to police social distancing at passenger hubs from Monday will have the power to count how many people are getting onto a bus or a train.
“And so they should, because I don't want to see crowded buses and I don't want to see people sick,” Mr Constance said.
Overcrowding on public transport poses a risk of increased COVID-19 transmission, at a time when the rate of daily increase has plummeted.
Yesterday, authorities confirmed just one new case from 6809 tests returned on Saturday. The positive case was from a woman who had returned from the UK.
Authorities were yesterday trying to confirm whether a secondary school student had tested positive after developing minor symptoms a day after attending class. No further details were revealed.