NSW parents are split on when students should return to class

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says students will return to classrooms from term two but a Daily Telegraph poll has revealed parents are split on the May 11 date. It comes after the state recorded just 11 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

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NSW school students can begin returning to classrooms on May 11 but parents are split on the return date, according to a Daily Telegraph reader poll.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian today confirmed the first two weeks of term two in NSW would operate the same as the end of term one, but from week three “there’ll be more face-to-face contact for students”.

The first day of term two in NSW is April 27, with week three beginning on May 11.

“We’re currently going through the process of speaking to stakeholders, speaking to principals and teachers, to look at the various options and what will work for NSW,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“I completely support the notion that we should have more kids back at school but in a reasonable way, in an appropriate way, which means that there is adequate social distancing for the adults in particular.”

Cleaners disinfect a classroom in a Sydney school. Authorities have reassured parents schools are a safe place for children.

Public schools have remained open during the coronavirus crisis but attendance has fallen to as little at three per cent across the state.

In a Daily Telegraph reader poll, more than 5000 respondents were divided on sending their children back to school, despite the challenges of working from home and home-schooling

The poll asked respondents: “Do you think children should be returning to school in term two instead of learning from home?”

About 52 per cent said children should not be returning in term two.

One parent flagged the timing as coinciding with the beginning of the flu season.

“We will be in the smack middle of winter and that is the worst time for students to go back. Covid19 breeds in winter. My year 1 bub will not be going back until spring or this has completely gone,” Shane Butler wrote.

A return to the classroom has been welcomed by some parents, while others are concerned about how schools will manage the health of students and teachers.

Others were concerned about how schools would manage social distancing in classrooms.

“Ridiculous. If all the kids are back at school, social distancing is out the window full stop. No possible way to social distance 30 kids in a single classroom. It’s too soon. And this is coming from a teacher who misses her class like you would not believe … but I really feel like sending everyone back to school as soon as week 3 is not going to end well,” Elisha Anne said.

Others like Lisa Jefferson approved of the return to face-to-face learning as soon as May.

“ I have two children that have intellectual learning disabilities so I think they would benefit more with face-to-face learning,” she said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison reiterated on Thursday that schools were safe for children to attend and it was teachers and staff that remained at a greater risk from COVID-19.

“The health advice has been consistent that for children schools are a safe space for children. Where the confusion arises is that for are more at risk in the staffroom than they are in the classroom when it comes to how the health advice plays out and the impact of this virus on children as opposed to teachers,” Mr Morrison said.

“That means that we need to have proper arrangements in place for teachers and other staff in schools obviously to protect their work environment,” he said.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in Sydney on Thursday. Picture: Joel Carrett

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The move to return students to schools coincided with another day or promising figures for COVID-19 cases in NSW.

Of the 11 new cases confirmed overnight out of 3000 tests, almost half came from the Newmarch House aged care facility in Sydney’s west, where an outbreak occurred after an infected worker with mild symptoms attended work.

Fifteen people from the facility have now tested for the deadly virus — six staff and nine residents, NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said.

A total of 2897 people have contracted the virus in NSW so far.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Brendan Murphy said while Australia’s numbers continue to be encouraging, he reminded the public that some people had suffered gravely, with 63 fatalities.

Australia has a total of 6457 infections, with more than half of those infected now recovered.

Originally published as NSW parents are split on when students should return to class