Confusion over reopening of schools in local government areas of concern after ‘change in policy’

Students are set to return to school in weeks but a “major” change in policy has confused parents in the 12 LGAs of concern.

Some schools in local government areas of concern are set to return to face-to-face learning after a “major change in policy” but there’s confusion about the criteria behind the decision.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian last month announced a return to face-to-face learning starting on October 25 but said a decision on whether this would apply to those living in the 12 LGAs of concern would be made closer to the time, which was still two months away at that point.

Almost three weeks later, North Rocks Public School is now being told a policy change means they can go back, but there are mixed messages coming from the Education Minister and the Department of Education.

In response to inquiries from news.com.au, a spokesman for the Education Minister Sarah Mitchell on Wednesday suggested all children across the state would begin a staggered return to face-to-face learning from October 25.

“This applies statewide unless the area is released from stay at home orders, in which case students would be back at school already – this is the case in most parts of regional NSW,” he said.

This is contrary to advice on the NSW Government website labelled “Advice for Families” that states: “Local government areas (LGAs) and suburbs of concern operating under Level 4 plus restrictions will continue learning from home until they are removed from the areas of concern.”

The NSW Department of Education is also providing slightly different information to parents.

As recently as Tuesday night, a department representative told Carlingford mum-of-three Tasha during a webinar run by the P & C Federation that schools in LGAs of concern would not be allowed to resume face-to-face learning.

Tasha was told during a webinar that schools in LGAs of concern would not be reopening. Source: Supplied

Since then the advice seems to have changed but the department suggests there won’t be a blanket approach to allowing schools to return in the 12 LGAs.

In response to questions, the Department of Education on Thursday indicated North Rocks students would be able to go back to school.

The spokesman said detailed information had been provided “directly via principals to their school communities” and this was also published at Advice for Families.

He said the return to school would depend on rates of vaccination and Covid cases without giving further detail about what the benchmarks would be.

“In areas such as North Rocks where stay-at-home rules remain in place but other community vaccination and transmission conditions are met, the plan is for a staggered return of students in accordance with NSW Health advice and Covid-safe measures,” the NSW Education spokesman said.

“This will begin with Kindergarten and year 1 from October 25 followed by years 2, 6 and 11 on November 1.

“Years 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 will follow on November 8, with Year 12 students to complete their HSC exams on site from 9 November.”

The advice appears to suggest the schools will be reopened on the same timetable as others in Sydney.

Tasha said parents were sent a message on Thursday from the North Rocks principal stating the Department of Education had provided an update on schools planning for Term 4 that suggested students in LGAs of concern would be allowed back.

“Note the major change in policy referring to LGAs of concern,” it says. “This is great news!”

In an attached letter the principal goes on to explain: “It is pleasing to announce that in Term 4, where stay-at-home rules are still in place but high community vaccination rates and low transmission conditions are met, students will return to school in a staggered approach.”

Message about a 'change of policy'. Source: Supplied

Tasha welcomed the change but noted online information on the Advice to Families still suggested schools in the LGAs of concern would not be returning to face-to-face learning.

“It’s great news but how do we know what to believe when it’s contrary to the advice that’s been published?” she said.

She said parents still felt unsure about whether the school would re-open and the conditions were unclear.

“There’s no definition of high vaccination or a threshold set for ‘low community transmission’,” she said. “They haven’t defined ‘community’, is it the LGA or postcode? What’s the community?”

Case numbers are still high

Parramatta LGA, along with other areas of concern, has high levels of vaccination with more than 85 per cent of residents receiving a first dose of a vaccine.

But case numbers are still significant. In the past 14 days there were 567 cases, according to covid19data.com.au in Parramatta, which has a population of around 200,000 people. The numbers in other LGAs of concern are even higher.

Previously the secretary of the NSW Department of Education, Georgina Harrisson, told a parliamentary inquiry in August that even for schools outside the hot spot areas, the back-to-school plan could be contingent on the rate of community transmission staying below 50 cases per 100,000 people, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Parramatta currently does not meet that criteria, and neither do other LGAs that are not listed as an area of concern such as Randwick, which has recorded 409 cases.

Case numbers would need to reduce significantly for these areas to meet the 50 per 100,000 people criteria.

Students in LGAs of concern may be able to return to school. Picture: Tim Pascoe/AAP

Residents in areas like North Rocks, where case numbers are low compared to the rest of the Parramatta LGA, have recently pushed for restrictions to be based on suburbs not LGAs, something the State Government appears to be considering.

This may also be why parents at North Rocks have been told students will be able to return to face-to-face learning.

Tasha believes more certainty is needed.

“The Premier said herself that children need certainty and that’s why they set October 25 (as the date for the return to school) and that it won’t be changed but there’s no certainty in LGAs of concern because of poor communication,” she said.

“Nothing has been publicly defined, they may know but they have not made it public – we should (be allowed) to know.

“They are saying kids need certainty but what, kids don’t need certainty in this area?”

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