Year 12s could stay back into 2021 as Premier warns term 2 start date unlikely
Daniel Andrews has revealed students completing Year 12 could have their VCE extended into 2021 to compensate for coronavirus interruptions and promised more “definitive” answers on when kids will return to school will soon arrive.
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Daniel Andrews has revealed students completing Year 12 could have their VCE extended into 2021 to compensate for interruptions caused by coronavirus.
The Premier made the comments on Sunday night, explaining the state government was talking to Universities and TAFES about potentially extending the VCE year six to eight weeks.
He said it was also unlikely that students would be able to return to school in ten days’ time, at the end of the school holidays.
Though the government will soon have more “definitive” answers on how the rest of the school year will be carried out, he said it would likely involve a mix of online and remote learning.
“I know it’s very frustrating in my own household, I can’t give (son) Noah, who’s in Year 12, all the answers he wants but as soon as we can we will,” he said.
“School is going to look different, day one of term two but the exact nature of that will be the subject of announcements,” Mr Andrews said on Sunday.
“We will give parents as much notice as we can.
“Some kids will be in school, some will be learning at home.”
Students not being able to complete year 12 on time would have a flow-on effect for the struggling university sector, which will need a normal domestic intake of students in 2021 after losing thousands of international students this year.
The education disruption for final year students was now on the top of the priority lists of state, territory and federal ministers, according to federal education minister Dan Tehan.
“There are a lot of parents out there at the moment, especially those that have Year 12 students who are contemplating what their VCE is going to look like this year and what that will mean for pathways into work, into vocational education, into university next year,” Mr Tehan said late last week.
“This is the next on our list of priorities. Obviously there are numerous issues that families are facing, but this is one I’m getting a lot of feedback, which is of concern and we will be addressing this in the coming weeks.”
STUDENT NURSES SET UP FOR VIRUS PEAK
Student nurses are being drafted into hospitals before they graduate to ease the pressure on Victoria’s health workforce during the COVID-19 peak.
More than one thousand second and third year nursing students may be asked to take on part time roles in the state’s hospitals supporting qualified registered nurses in the collecting and interpretation of healthcare data, as well as gaining social, economic and psychological information from patients.
A program established four years ago called the Registered Undergraduate Students of Nursing – or RUSON – allowed select Monash and Deakin University nursing students to work in limited capacities.
But with the coronavirus pandemic set to stretch the health system beyond its current capabilities, the head of Monash Nursing and Midwifery Prof Debra Griffiths said the RUSON program was being prepared to greatly increase the number of students available.
“I know a couple of health services we have a couple of dozen RUSONs at – now they are wanting a couple of hundred,” Prof Griffiths said.
“There is a lot of stress on the health service workers, the professionals already there, we are getting a sense that the anxiety levels are really going up.
“We haven’t hit the peak of this year. The priority for us is making sure our students are safe and that they still get their clinical placements.
“Many of them are a bit nervous. They have families and people at home who might be older grandparents.”
Monash has about 1000 second and third year nursing students who could be drafted under RUSON, while a similar number would be available from Deakin.
While some in the student workforce may be dealing directly with COVID-19 patients, others will work more in support roles depending on their training and the needs of individual health services who employ them.
Prof Griffiths said it was important RUSON shifts did not clash with the students’ normal course placements which were required so they can graduate as soon as possible and provide greater relief to the strained workforce.
As a third year nursing student, Lizzie Elliott is currently undertaking a placement at Frankston Hospital, but plans to step up further with a RUSON role despite the apparent risks.
“I would like to be able to do my part and help out with the pandemic,” she said.
“We have had a decent amount of experience working in hospitals...where I would feel pretty confident with my skills.
“It is a bit scary, you are putting yourself a bit at risk working with those types of patients.
“It is a bit daunting, but we will develop the skills and overtime it won’t be as daunting.“
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said all hands were needed on deck as we face the unprecedented challenge.
“It’s great to see so many undergraduate nursing and midwifery students stepping up to help in the coronavirus response to provide essential support to our doctors, nurses and midwives,” Ms Mikakos said.
HOSPITAL HEROES SET FOR HOTEL STAYS
Medical staff who test positive or are exposed to coronavirus will be able to self-isolate in hotel rooms for free.
Premier Daniel Andrews today announced a $20 million fund to put up hospital workers and paramedics to ensure they don’t expose their family or housemates.
It comes as Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Dr Brett Sutton announced the curve was flattening, potentially saving tens of thousands of lives.
Twenty new cases of COVID-19 were identified overnight, taking Victoria’s total to 1135.
Mr Andrews said there had been “significant success” in slowing the spread of the virus unlike other countries.
“We have had some significant success but there is a long way to go,” he said.
“If you look at other parts of the world you see what failure looks like when you have rapid transmission of this virus and the health system cannot cope.
“We need to protect our health system by staying at home and doing the right thing.”
The state’s death toll stands at eight, with 11 people in intensive care units and another 36 in hospital.
Mr Andrews said the “Hotels for Heroes” program has the capacity to support up to 8000 workers.
It will also include non-clinical staff potentially exposed to the virus while at work such as cooks and cleaners.
The hotels will be located in Melbourne and regional Victoria.
The Premier’s move comes just days after the accommodation issue was highlighted in the Herald Sun’s Frontline Heroes campaign as a key concern of Victorian health workers. Before today’s free hotel room announcement, the campaign had already won free mobile phone coverage from Optus and Vodafone for health workers.
Health minister Jenny Mikakos said it was “the least we can do” to keep health care safe during the pandemic.
The decision has been welcomed by frontline health workers, who fear the risk of exposing loved ones to the virus.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Victorian branch secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said it will ease the burden on essential frontline workers.
“These are extremely challenging times for Victoria’s more than 100,000 nurses and midwives and their health services as they prepare for a surge in COVID-19 patients,” she said.
“This alternative accommodation initiative removes the worry of how to protect family members, finding and paying for somewhere else to live when healthcare workers are most at risk of bringing COVID-19 home and lets them focus on caring for the Victorian community.”
More than 56,000 coronavirus tests have been conducted statewide.
Dr Sutton said the reduction in new infections gives significant hope that Victoria can “beat this”.
“For the first time I have a little optimism we can beat this and take a different course to most of Europe and North America has taken and avoid the literally millions of cases that will occur in North America and Europe and the tens of thousands of deaths that will occur,” he said.
“We can avoid that.
“If we can keep home and understand the sacrifices – we can do this together.”
He declared the “curve was flattening” but it was still early days and people needed to continue staying at home and social distancing.
He said “keeping numbers low” was the way to avoid Stage 4 restrictions, but said this was still under review.
More than twenty cases have been linked to the doomed Ruby Princess cruise ship.
The department of education is expected to make an announcement about term two schooling in the coming days.
MONASH HEALTH STAFF MEMBER TESTS POSITIVE
A staff member at the Monash Medical Centre has tested positive to COVID-19.
Monash Health said the worker was now recovering at home in self-isolation.
Those who had been in close with that person were notified and were receiving support from Monash Health.
“Our priority remains the health and wellbeing of our patients and employees, and we are working closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to follow all relevant protocols to reduce any possible risk of further infection,” a Monash Health spokeswoman said.
POLICE HAND OUT 142 FINES
Wild house parties and large gatherings in public parks continue throughout the state despite strict lockdown laws remaining firmly in place.
Police handed out a whopping 142 fines to people flouting self-isolation laws in the past 24 hours, taking the total fines issued to 199.
The majority of breaches related to people being outside the homes for reasons other than the four official exemptions - to shop for essentials, to provide or receive medical care, to work or study, or to exercise - but worryingly, police also caught people attending disruptive parties in houses, or gathering in public parks.
Police have slammed the “unacceptable” behaviour, which they say is occurring state-wide, in places such as Point Cook, Horsham, Ringwood, Nurrabiel and Flemington.
“This type of conduct is simply unacceptable and unfortunately it seems some people in the community are still not getting the message,” A Victoria Police spokesman said.
Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton said, “while the majority of the Victorian community are doing the right thing, there are people that continue to flout the rules and put people’s lives at risk. Our message is this - people should not be leaving their own home for any reason other than the four we have described, if they do there is every chance they will receive a significant fine.”
Police conducted 751 spot checks at homes, businesses and non-essential services across the state in the past 24 hours as part of Operation Sentinel.
Since 21 March, police have conducted a total of 13,292 spot checks.
GOLF WAS NOT A FAILING OF THE NATIONAL CABINET: AG
The Victorian Government’s decision to ban golf was not a failing of the National Cabinet, but rather a state enforcing the agreed guidelines in a way to suit their situation, according to Attorney-general Christian Porter.
Speaking at Parliament House in Canberra on Sunday, Mr Porter called on law enforcement to apply the rules with as much common sense as possible.
“There has been as much consistency as reasonably possible and agreeable but different states are in different points of the epidemiology of the disease and make some different decisions around different restrictions,” Mr Porter said.
“There will always be differences in the way law enforcement is taken.
“There is obviously a significant job of work to be done by ministers, police ministers and attorney generals to make sure where the law is in existence and it is a change, it is well-known and consistently and reasonably enforced with a high degree of common sense because we are obviously in uncharted territory.
“I do not think that in any way reflects poorly on the National Cabinet system.”
Mr Porter announced there would be 47 pairs granted in the House, meaning 37 members of the government and 21 members of the opposition would be present.
Depending on the availability of commercial flights, RAAF jets may be used to transport some MPs.
The Parliament has been recalled for a day to pass the $130 billion JobKeeper package that is currently being worked on by Treasury.
A draft is due by tomorrow (Monday).
Mr Porter said he had been working closely with the ACTU and Sally McManus on the package and what it means for Australian workers, insisting the legislation would pass in the coming week.
“This change will be happening next Wednesday,” Mr Porter said.
“No matter how late we have to sit, the change will be happening next Wednesday. Six million Australian jobs depend on it.”
He indicated there was room to move in terms of eligibility for the JobKeeper package and different eligibility thresholds, especially for casuals, were being considered.
FAMILIES GIVEN FREE SESSIONAL KINDERGARTEN
Sessional kindergarten will be free for families in a $45 million relief package aimed at keeping the system afloat during the coronavirus crisis.
The major funding boost by the state government will allow parents to send their children to sessional kindergarten for free during term 2.
Funding will be provided to community-based, local government and school providers that offer sessional programs provided they don’t charge, and allow children 15 hours of free kinder a week.
Education Minister James Merlino said the funding followed a significant drop in sessional kindergarten numbers as more parents chose to keep their kids at home.
“We are making sure Victorian children can still go to kinder and get an early childhood education during this difficult period, without parents worrying about fees — this will save jobs, save kinders and save families hundreds of dollars,” he said.
“This funding will mean sessional kindergarten providers stay financially viable, even if enrolments drop as parents decide to keep their children at home because of coronavirus.
“Our kinder teachers and staff are doing an outstanding job ensuring Victorian children continue to get early childhood education during this challenging period — the last thing they should be worried about is losing their jobs.”
The funding will provide about $485 for each child in a funded kindergarten program.
The move follows a similar initiative by the federal government to make childcare free for families for up to six months.
The unprecedented relief package means free childcare for about 234,000 Victorian families.
Almost 300 of the nation’s 13,000 childcare centres have closed in recent weeks. About 50,000 Victorian children use sessional kinders.
Funding is split between the federal and state governments and parent payments, with the state yesterday picking up the parents’ share.
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STONNINGTON STILL TOPS STATE FOR MOST COVID-19 CASES
Stonnington still tops Victoria for the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases with 84, despite no new cases since Friday.
Banyule in Melbourne’s north, which includes the suburbs of Ivanhoe and Heidelberg, recorded three new cases overnight and now sits at 67, while Boroondara (57) also recorded one new case.
Geelong now with 56 cases had two new cases overnight.
Mornington Peninsula — including prestigious Portsea and Sorrento — now has 53 reported cases, one case more overnight.
Other areas including Manningham (22) had two new cases overnight, while Nillumbik (21) had three new cases.
Check how many cases in your area here.
SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS COULD BE IN PLACE FOR A YEAR
The next week will be critical in deciding if Victoria needs to move to tougher stage 4 restrictions with community infections of coronavirus on the rise.
An expert has also warned restrictions on social activities might need to remain in place for a year or it could all be “for nothing”.
Despite a slowing in the overall rate of COVID-19 infections after social distancing measures, the momentum of community transmissions has concerned authorities.
University of Melbourne’s Michael McCarthy said the increase in community transmissions had to be taken seriously and infection data over the next week would shape decisions.
“Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs – we don’t want that to be for nothing,” Prof McCarthy said.
“The public really has to take some responsibility to do what we are being asked to do.
“To stop outbreaks it seems that we need a fairly strong social distancing and isolation, but without a vaccine that has to go for at least 12 months, maybe even longer.
“It seems like as soon as you take your foot off the break it is going to get going again.”
Yesterday a woman in her 70s became Victoria’s eighth coronavirus victim after dying in hospital.
There were last night 30 new confirmed cases in Victoria, bringing the state total to 1115.
The expediential growth that saw Australia’s COVID-19 cases doubling every three days has been slowed and is now doubling every seven days.
But since March 26 Victoria’s cases of community transmission have risen more than 700 per cent – from nine to 73.
With travel bans and quarantining all but drying up imported COVID-19 cases, health authorities will have a clearer picture of how well social distancing is working to control community transmission over the next week.
Regardless of how well the infection numbers flatten, Prof McCarthy – who has modelled COVID-19 spread in Australia and overseas – said isolation measures would be required until a vaccine was widely available, otherwise the infections would immediately rise again.
Long-term measures will have to balance the lives saved from COVID-19 with those lost to suicide, damaged mental health and family breakdown – though Prof McCarthy said ordinary Victorians could control how severe the restrictions were by complying.
“The Victorian local transmission data makes me think we might be starting to get on top of that a bit better with the current measures,” he said.
“(But) It depends on the compliance of the public. If the public start not complying with the current measures then they will go harder.
“This is still very early, we have only been doing this for a month and it will go for at least six times that.
“Really, we have to think about what we are going to be doing for the next 12 months.”
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos thanked Victorians who were abiding by the stay home rules, but said she was “disappointed” with those who continued to flout the restrictions.
Victoria Police made 707 spot-checks on homes and businesses in the last day, of which 391 were on returned travellers.