Your questions answered on confusing school advice
Parents and students are caught in the crossfire as state and federal governments brawl over schools returning. So why is Victoria different than other states and when will you get clarity on when your children can go back to school? Here’s what you need to know.
Education
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ARE SCHOOLS THE BEST PLACE FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN?
Yes, absolutely. Nobody, including the Victorian government and teachers’ unions, is arguing with this.
The first principle on schools agreed by the National Cabinet is “our education systems are based on the recognition education is best delivered by professional teachers to students in the classroom on a school campus”. Learning at home is proving chaotic for many parents also trying to work from home, and causing issues for children already facing disadvantage, with particular issues for those with disabilities and without access to required technology. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the education of those studying from home “is at great risk of suffering this year”. “This will particularly be the case for families who are disadvantaged and on lower incomes.” He also expressed concern students back in classrooms without full schooling resuming are only “looking at a screen”, saying: “That’s not teaching, that’s childminding.”
ARE SCHOOLS SAFE?
Yes. Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has said: “I don’t see schools as a dangerous place to be.” Australian Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy says “very, very few children” contract COVID-19 and “we have not seen evidence of major transmission among schools in children”. Mr Morrison has reiterated the national medical expert panel’s advice is that schools are safe. And South Australian Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier encouraged families “to feel comfortable and safe about sending their children to school”.
SO WHY ARE VICTORIAN STUDENTS BEING TOLD TO STUDY AT HOME?
It’s up to Prof Sutton and Mr Andrews. There have been seven Victorian students who have contracted coronavirus from teachers, parents or other students. According to Prof Murphy, “most children who have contracted the virus in Australia have contracted it in the family home”. But despite agreeing schools are not dangerous, Prof Sutton says “having around a million children and their parents in closer contact with each other, teachers and other support staff has the potential to increase cases of coronavirus not just in schools but across the community”. So Mr Andrews is telling families their kids must learn at home if they can. The conflicting messages from state and federal politicians and public health chiefs is at the heart of confusion for parents. Liberal MP Tim Smith has criticised Prof Sutton, saying he has had “more positions than the Kama Sutra” on schooling.
WHAT IS THE ADVICE IN VICTORIA AND OTHER STATES?
All Victorian students must learn at home if they can. In most other states, schools are operating normally, or timelines have been set for classes to start back up on campuses. Victoria’s hard line stance was underlined this week when children who live near the South Australian border crossed over it to go to school, where they are encouraged to attend.
WHY IS PROF SUTTON’S ADVICE DIFFERENT TO OTHER STATES?
Despite the educational concerns, he’s decided to take a more hard line view on restrictions. Prof Sutton says he is most worried about community transmission of the virus. He’s said: “I can’t talk to the decisions of the other state’s chief health officers but it is my call. If other chief officers, in consideration with their state government, want to go about it differently than they are absolutely entitled to.” He says his decision-making is based on “a range of information used to assess our current local settings here in Victoria”.
IS HE BEING CAUTIOUS BECAUSE VICTORIA HAS MORE CASES?
It can’t be because Victoria has a lower rate of infection per 100,000 people than Western Australia and South Australia, which have returned to full schooling. Victoria also has less than half the number of cases of NSW, which is moving to bring back students one day a week.
WHAT DO THE TEACHERS AND THEIR UNIONS THINK?
The Australian Education Union and the Independent Education Union say they are keen to return to school, but will follow the advice of Prof Sutton and support remote learning for the rest of term two, unless his guidance changes. Some teachers on the ground have differing views — some are receiving hundreds of emails and calls a day and say online learning is hard work for both staff and kids, especially for teachers homeschooling their own children. Mr Morrison argues the risk for teachers is in the staffroom, not the classroom, and that can be managed. He has said: “We’ve got people who are doing jobs all over the community, driving buses, and they’re doing great work and they’re turning up to work to do those things.”
HAS PROF SUTTON BEEN PRESSURED BY THE UNIONS OR GOVERNMENT?
He says he has not been approached by the unions or pressured by the government, and that his decisions are based on “what the best public health outcome will be”.
WHAT PRECAUTIONS CAN BE TAKEN TO PROTECT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS RETURNING TO SCHOOL?
Advice from the national medical expert panel includes cancelling assemblies and big gatherings, staggering drop-off and pick-up times and recess and lunch breaks, maintaining smaller classes, excluding unwell children and staff, and putting vulnerable teachers in non-classroom roles. Kids do not have to keep 1.5m apart.
WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF CONTINUING TO DELAY VICTORIAN STUDENTS RETURNING TO SCHOOL?
They could fall behind the rest of the country. Independent reports released this week highlighted the risks of ongoing remote learning. The Peter Underwood Centre report concluded: “Nearly half of Australian children and young people are at risk (of) adverse effects on their educational outcomes, nutrition, physical movement and emotional wellbeing by being physically disconnected from school.”
WHY IS THE FEDERAL AND STATE LIBERAL PARTY INTENT ON KIDS RETURNING TO SCHOOL?
They are following Prof Murphy’s advice, who says schools are safe for students. Mr Morrison has made it clear he is worried children could lose a year of education. There is also an economic impact with parents trying to work from home and help educate their children. Victorian Education Minister James Merlino has hit back, saying the Federal Government does “not run any schools”.
CAN PRIVATE, INDEPENDENT AND CATHOLIC SCHOOLS DECIDE TO RETURN TO NORMAL CLASSES?
Yes. Fitzroy Community School has made plans to do so, and Ecumenical Schools Australia has called on the State Government to let its 19 campuses make their own decisions. Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan is now offering to fast-track $3 billion in private school funding if they reopen by June 1. If private schools return to normal before government schools, the fear is state school students will fall behind.
WHO HAS THE ULTIMATE SAY ON STATE SCHOOLS?
Mr Andrews. The Prime Minister has told Victorian parents to listen to him.
SCHOOLS WILL HAVE TO GO BACK AT SOME POINT. WHEN WILL VICTORIAN PARENTS GET SOME CLARITY?
Prof Sutton says the situation is being constantly reviewed, but Mr Andrews says it will not change until the state of emergency lifts on May 11. In the meantime, 58 per cent of students went to school in South Australia on Monday and 14 per cent in Queensland, while two-thirds were in school in the Northern Territory last week, compared to just 2 per cent in Victoria.
WILL CHANGES TO YEAR 12 EXAMS AND UNIVERSITY ENTRIES BE NEEDED?
All education ministers, including Mr Merlino, agree Year 12s will not repeat. But Year 12 exams have already been pushed back until December and Mr Merlino has indicated they could stretch in 2021. The Federal Government wants schools back so Year 12 results and next year’s university intake will be uniform across the country.
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