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Victorian Debate Over Reopening Schools Heats Up

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26 views1 page

Victorian Debate Over Reopening Schools Heats Up

Uploaded by

Laura
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Victorian debate over reopening schools heats up

The Victorian opposition has released a proposed path to reopen all schools for term 4,
but the Victorian government says it relies on "impossible" assumptions about how the
virus spreads through communities. 

The Coalition's seven-point COVID Safe Schools plan is calling for schools to be treated
as "bubbles", offering priority vaccination to all willing teachers, only closing schools on
a case-by-case basis, and employing rapid antigen testing as a screening tool.

Shadow Education Minister David Hodgett said school closures needed to be more
targeted.

"We're saying we should treat schools as bubbles, with community sport not being
allowed and children being limited in the activities they can do," he said.

"We are saying when kids get into the school yard and it is safe to do those sorts of
things then they should be able to participate in a full range of activities."

The opposition said students had lost more than 150 days of face-to-face learning as a
result of the lockdowns, which has had a devastating impact on children and their
communities.

Mr Hodgett said closing schools on a case-by-case basis would ensure more students
could stay in school, likening school campuses to construction sites.

"If there is an outbreak on a construction site, we don't close every construction site
across the state, we close that site and manage that site, we're saying schools should be
the same." he said.

In a statement, a government spokesperson said the opposition plan was not backed by
health advice and was not practical for students.

"Not only is this plan not backed up by public health advice, its very premise is
impossible - schools cannot be 'bubbles', because children do not live there, and are
otherwise out in the community," the spokesperson said.

"We have already made it clear that improved ventilation, increased hygiene, staggered
start times and rapid antigen tests - when they are approved by the TGA - will form part
of our plan to return schools safely."

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