NSW kids to return to school a week EARLY after late-night crisis meeting – but all teachers will HAVE to be vaccinated
Thousands of schoolchildren have been called back into classrooms a week early as all their teachers are required to be fully vaccinated.
It has been announced NSW students will resume in-school learning on October 18, following a late-night crisis cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Year 1 and Year 12 students will scheduled to return to classrooms on October 18, while Years 2, 6 and 11 will resume the following week on October 25.
All remaining year groups will return to campus on November 1.
Thousands of students have been called back into classrooms a week early, with Year 1 and Year 12 students to resume in-school learning on October 18 (pictured, students in Sydney)
Students will begin a staged return to school from October 11 to give teachers an extra week to get two jabs of a Covid vaccine (pictured, students at Homebush West Public School)
Several senior ministers considered bringing students back to school grounds even earlier on October 11, the Daily Telegraph reported.
However it was ultimately agreed to bring students back seven days later, to give their teachers another week to get vaccinated.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian had hinted at an earlier return for students during her Covid press conference on Wednesday.
Ms Berejiklian said her government was ‘looking at options if we can bring things forward’ in relation to the original return date earmarked for October 25.
‘Parents should assume it is October 25 and if there is better news than that, we will convey it,’ the premier said.
‘I want to stress we are carefully considering the options we have to get kids to school earlier if we can.
‘We didn’t expect to have hit 70 per cent double dose on October 11 so we are considering what that does for the school system.’
Ms Berejiklian described the NSW school system as ‘huge’ and said there were considerations to be made on the number of teachers currently vaccinated.
Under the roadmap out of lockdown pubs, retail, cafes and restaurants will reopen on October 11, with students to follow with a staggered return on October 25.
NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell has said the emphasis of the return to classrooms would be on the safety of students.
‘I recognise that there are a mix of views across the community on when the right time is for children to return to school,’ she said.
Ms Mitchell said it was positive that vaccination targets had been hit early across the state but it was imperative students returned in a ‘safe and sensible’ way.
‘We continue to review our school settings and plans, as we have done throughout the pandemic, in line with the latest health advice.’
More to come.
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