Andrews government under fire for not allowing students to return to classrooms earlier

The Andrews government is under fire for not allowing students to return to classrooms earlier after fast-tracking plans for crowds at the Spring Racing Carnival.

Frustrated parents are calling for children to be allowed to return to school full-time as soon as the state hits its 80 per cent double vaccination target.

The government originally tied the full-time return to school to that vaccination target, with the roadmap allowing kids to attend in person every day from Friday, November 5.

With Victoria now tipped to hit the target days ahead of schedule, and the government allowing up to 10,000 punters at Oaks Day on November 4, families are pushing for a potential early reprieve for schoolchildren.

But the Victorian government said on Sunday it was not planning to change the date children could return to school full-time, unless there was a drastic surge in vaccinations.

Based on the latest projections, fast-tracking the return to school could put all city students back in the classroom full time the day after the Melbourne Cup public holiday.

Associate Professor Caroline Dowling, spokeswoman for the #WhatsThePlanDan parents’ lobby group, said schools should be given the same consideration as Melbourne Cup Carnival crowds.

Zac Hay is one of many students eager to return to the classroom. Picture: David Geraghty

“I think it’s incredibly inconsistent and inconsiderate of the government to think it’s okay to have 10,000 people at the Melbourne Cup when schools have not properly reopened,” she said. “The inconsistencies are glaring and frustrating.”

University of Sydney infectious diseases paediatrician, Professor Robert Booy, said children were much less likely to spread Covid-19 than adults.

“If you can allow 10,000 people to attend the Melbourne Cup then children should be allowed to get back to school at the same time or preferably earlier,” he said.

Opposition Education spokesman David Hodgett said: “We are happy to see crowds returning to events, but why is the Melbourne Cup being prioritised before education. If Oaks Day is contingent on 80 per cent, can’t schools be?”

Education Minister James Merlino said the public health team was “always reviewing all settings”. “All students will be back face to face full-time by 5 November – the week of the Melbourne Cup, so students will have the majority of term four learning in the classroom,” he said.

Some punters will be allowed to attend the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Mark Stewart

The government came under intense criticism last year when it announced up to 1000 owners could attend the Cox Plate, despite harsh restrictions remaining on businesses, social gatherings and even funerals.

Major Events Minister Martin Pakula on Sunday admitted he misread the public mood last year but said the Cup crowd was an important test for the state’s reopening.

“It is a vaccinated economy trial, it’s actually a very important thing for us to do,” Mr Pakula said. “This pandemic has now been running for over 18 months and I think that there is a powerful, powerful emotion and an urge in the community for us to get open.”

Meanwhile, Firbank Grammar School in Brighton has announced it will be the first school in Victoria to offer rapid Covid-19 testing and on-site booster vaccinations.

From Thursday, October 14, anyone who enters the senior school grounds will be tested twice a week — on Mondays and Thursdays.

“If there were to be an outbreak in a school, we would need to close and clean the school immediately,” the school’s principal, Jenny Williams, said. “It makes sense to reduce as many risks as we can, to prevent harm to our community and the long-term futures of students.”

Originally published as Andrews government under fire for not allowing students to return to classrooms earlier