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Schools prepared, but uncertain as COVID threat looms

Edward ScownGeraldton Guardian
WA Education Minister Sue Ellery.
Camera IconWA Education Minister Sue Ellery. Credit: Tamra Carr/Geraldton Guardian

As most school students return to class next week, a local high school principal says she is confident her school has done what itcan to prepare for the looming COVID-19 threat, but uncertainty remains about what a Mid West outbreak could mean for our schools.

“If you’ve got a crystal ball, I wouldn’t mind borrowing it,” Champion Bay Senior High School principal Julie Campbell said.

Education Minister Sue Ellery spoke on Tuesday, outlining a ventilation plan put in place for all 900 public schools in WA.

It will involve installing 12,000 high-efficiency particulate air filters, providing 1500 carbon dioxide monitors, and increasing the frequency of classroom cleaning, especially of high -ouch surfaces such as doorhandles and desks.

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“This year will no doubt present challenges, but I want to reassure parents that we have been working hard over the summer break to prepare our classrooms for the new school year,” Ms Ellery said.

While past outbreaks have seen schools transition to remote teaching, Ms Ellery said the priority would be to keep schools open as long as they could be.

“Keeping our schools open is so important to children’s learning, social and emotional development, overall wellbeing and physical and mental health, so face-to-face learning is our priority. But learning contingency plans are in place at all schools for remote learning, if required, including hard-copy learning packages and access to online learning resources.”

Masks are currently not required at Mid West schools, as they are for Perth, Peel and South West students in Year 7 and above. However, high case loads could force children as young as Year 3 to mask up.

“We’ve been really lucky with the Department (of Education). They’ve been on top of the health advice, and we’ve been kept in the loop,” Ms Campbell said.

Amid worker shortages in most industries, Ms Ellery late last year rejected claims from the State School Teachers’ Union WA of a looming regional teacher shortage. She said while there were a large number of vacancies, the Education Department was “well ahead of where we were last year in filling identified vacancies”.

“Last year we were asked to do some heavy-duty planning,” Ms Campbell said.

“In regards to staffing, I think we’re well planned, and well placed to start the school year.”

Teachers and staff at all WA schools are required to be double-dose vaccinated before the start of the school year on January 31, as are regular visitors to school sites. However, parents won’t be asked to show proof of vaccination to pick up and drop off their children, or to attend school events such as assemblies, sports carnivals, and parent-teacher interviews.

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