Coronavirus: What’s happening in NSW, Victoria, Qld, SA, WA, NT, ACT and Tasmania schools

Pressure from teachers and parents opting to keep their children home means many classrooms across Australia are empty. Here is your school’s status.

A child is seen in a school yard on Monday. Many students have begun home schooling since. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

It’s been one of the most ferociously debated issues of the emerging coronavirus crisis.

Schools — should they remain open or close their doors?

Only a fortnight ago it seemed that the Commonwealth and the states and territories were in agreement on the health advice that schools were safe and that shutting them down could do more harm that good.

However pressure from the teachers’ unions, angry that members were being put at risk, coupled with the fact that many parents were opting to keep their children home as a precaution, has resulted in the jurisdictions enacting policies that have led to the effective closure of classrooms across the nation.

Victoria

Victoria was the first state to openly break ranks with the Commonwealth, announcing on Monday that it was bringing forward school holidays by almost a week. Since Tuesday, government schools have been closed to all students, except for those of health and emergency service workers who have required care.

Most Catholic and independent schools have also wound up for the term. Many independent schools made the transition to delivering online classes more than a week ago: some through necessity after a confirmed coronavirus case forced a campus shutdown, however most have been pre-emptive.

Premier Daniel Andrews has repeatedly said he accepted the health advice that schools remained safe but wanted to give teachers ample time to prepare for the event that schools would need to close if virus spread throughout the community.

Mr Andrews said he expected on-site classes to recommence after the break in mid-April unless he had medical advice to the contrary, however the Victorian Department of Education has written to schools asking them to prepare for “the likelihood of transitioning to flexible and remote online learning from the start of term two”.

NSW

Public schools remain open until the term ends on April 9, but the government has reiterated its advice to families to keep children at home if they are able.

It has said it would provide “continuity of learning” for all students “both on and off campus”.

"We've said schools are open … the health advice is that schools are a safe place," said Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

"However, we are recommending at this time that parents keep their children at home.”

The policy has had much the same effect as Victoria’s shutdown, with attendance falling to about 15 per cent by late this week. Catholic and independent schools, which have been reporting similar absence rates, have also largely closed their physical campuses.

According to NSW education department secretary Mark Scott, schools have been working hard to develop learning options for students to undertake from home should that become necessary.

“In the event of students or teachers required to be off-campus, teachers will be supported to teach online through a virtual platform, or materials and packages of materials provided to students electronically or in hard copy,” Mr Scott said.

Ms Berejiklian said she was “hopeful” that after the term break, “things will go back to normal.

Queensland

School is almost out in the sunshine state, with the government bringing forward school holidays by a week.

Due to run until April 3, the term will now end on Friday, March 27.

“Five additional student free days have been created to help address the risk of transmission of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and provide time for schools to prepare for greater use of online learning in term 2, in case it is required,” the QLD Education Department has advised.

“During the period 30 March to 3 April, schools will continue to provide a program of care and supervision for children of essential workers.

“Essential workers are those that must currently continue to attend their workplace during this difficult time.”

However, in keeping with Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s comments earlier in the week, Premier

Annastacia Palaszczuks has stressed that the definition of an “essential worker” was flexible.

“It’s not just our health workers, it's not just our emergency services workers, it’s not just our police,” she said.

“It actually involves anyone whose in our workforce, including people who stack shelves at Woollies and work in … different industries that their students will still be allowed to go to school.”

South Australia

Term one will finish a week early in South Australia, with Friday April 3 being the final day for students.

The following Monday to Thursday have been declared “pupil-free” days to allow schools to plan and prepare to transition to flexible learning, ready for Term 2.

School doors will be closed in the final week, except to students whose parents work in “essential services”.

“With the increasing number of children absent from our schools, our teachers need this time to prepare for the difficult challenge of meeting the needs of learners who are at home,” said Education Minister John Gardner.

“For those parents and carers who are able to keep their children at home, well supervised and in an environment of learning, we support this.”

“We will continue to act on the advice of South Australia’s Chief Public Health Officer and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) in keeping our education sites open to those families who need it.”

It is anticipated that Catholic and independent schools will implement similar arrangements to government schools.

Western Australia

Parents have also been urged to keep their children at home from Monday, with term one to end a week early to allow teachers to prepare for online learning.

Just like other states, WA public schools will provide supervision, but not teaching, for those students who cannot be at home because their parents are working, or for children considered vulnerable.

The government last week trialled a webinar education system across 10 regional and metropolitan schools with 450 students to prepare for a possible shutdown.

Education Minister Sue Ellery said the public school system would look “very different” in term two.

“I think it will be a combination of physical attendance at schools. Maybe some schools, maybe all schools, plus a combination of distance education which will be hard copy packs and online,” she said.

Northern Territory

Term one will conclude a week early.

From Monday, April 6 to Thursday, April 9, schools will be pupil-free to allow teachers to prepare for "the continued delivery of education in term two".

Australian Capital Territory

The ACT joined Victoria in calling an early end to term. Schools have been open this week to students of essential workers, however attendance was down to about 5 per cent.

Tasmania

Keep children at home, is the message in Tasmania, where the government has also brought forward the term break.

Teachers will use the week starting April 3 to prepare for delivering remote learning to students.

“Schools will remain open, but where possible from Monday parents should keep their children home from school,” said Premier Peter Gutwein.

A number of schools in Tasmania had already closed and moved to online learning. Launceston Church Grammar School will shift to remote learning as of Monday.