SCHOOL IS BACK: Neil Mitchell gets full detail from Education Minister

Victorian students in Prep, Grade 1, Grade 2, Year 11, Year 12 and specialist school students will return to face-to-face learning on May 26.

All other year levels will return on June 9.

Press PLAY below to hear Education Minister James Merlino on air with Neil Mitchell.

Precautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 will be in place when on-campus learning returns.

Students will not be required to practice social distancing at schools, but measures to reduce close contact between large groups will be in place.

“It will be different,” Education Minister James Merlino told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.

“We’re going to stagger the drop off and pick up times.

“We’ll stagger the lunch breaks, we’ll try and keep cohorts of kids, in terms of year levels, separated as much as we can.”

Excursions, camps and assemblies will be cancelled, and parent visits to schools will also be limited.

Staff will be required to practice social distancing at schools.

Any child who comes from a household where anyone is ill must not attend school.

“If you or your child is ill you’ve got to stay home,” Mr Merlino said.

Mr Andrews said the move will bring Victorian schools in line with other states.

“We’ll finish up with schools right across the country in pretty much the same position in early June,” he said.

Most Victorian students have not attended face-to-face education since March 24, when school gates were closed in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Press PLAY below to hear James Merlino on air with Neil Mitchell.

President of the Victorian Association of State Secondary Schools, Sue Bell, said the announcement is good news for teachers.

“We’re very happy,” she told 3AW’s Ross and John.

“We wanted some time to actually prepare and get people ready for the move back … so it’s a good thing.”

Press PLAY below for more.