NT schools to be open in Term 2, but parents can opt to homeschool: Chief Minister

TERRITORY schools are set to be open in Term 2 but parents will have the option to educate their children from home.

Territory schools are set to be open in Term 2 but parents will have the option to educate their children from home.

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TERRITORY schools are set to be open in Term 2 but parents will have the option to educate their children from home.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said at this stage schools would be open in Term 2, with parents able to choose to homeschool their children.

He said all decisions were based on medical advice.

“Day one, Term 2, your kid needs to be learning,” he said.

“Our schools will be open. If you decide to teach your kid from home, you must be teaching your kid. We'll help you, we’ll provide the curriculum but you must be teaching your kid.”

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It comes after NT Education Minister Selena Uibo said on Tuesday said she expected most students would be attending school in person for Term 2, hours after Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan said he anticipated most students around Australia would be schooled online for the entirety of Term 2.

Mr Gunner said education needed to be a priority for families in Term 2.

“The end of term one we’ve been lenient we let kids go home a bit early,” Mr Gunner said.

“We gave that choice to parents.

“We weren’t policing the teaching side of things but from day one, Term 2, every kid in the Territory must be learning.

“We’re not going to lose a year of school.

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“It’s not a holiday. If you take your kid and leave them at home that's great, that’s your decision as a parent but they must be learning. That’s my expectation.

“Let’s make sure all the kids in the Northern Territory keep learning.

“We’ve worked to make sure more material is available because I think more parents might make that decision, but essentially it’s our existing principle on steroids.

“We’re saying if you want to teach your kids from home, that’s cool, but you’ve got to be teaching them."