Teachers ‘concerned’ by COVID-19 threat as start of school year nears

Victorian teachers are “hoping and aiming” for school to resume on-site as scheduled on January 31.

There are growing concerns over potential staff shortages and the spread of COVID-19 in schools as the Omicron wave sweeps through the state.

Schools are yet to receive government guidelines on minimising the risk of infections and related closures.

President of the Australian Principals Federation, Tina King, says ” it’s not the situation we wanted to find ourselves in”.

“We are truly hoping and aiming for the 31st of January for the kids to be back in classrooms,” she told Stephen Quartermain and Emily Power, filling in for Ross and Russel.

“Everyone is concerned and we have endured long lockdowns in Victoria, and … we really don’t want to go back to that.”

Queensland has pushed back the start of the 2022 school year by two weeks in response to the COVID-19 situation.

Meanwhile, parents have had their hopes of getting their kids vaccinated against COVID-19 before the start of the school year dashed, with delivery delays meaning many appointments this week have been cancelled.

Ms King is calling for governments to provide more on-the-ground support to educate communities, particularly in COVID-19 hotspot areas, and to assist in school management when outbreaks occur.

But if school shutdowns are required, teachers are prepared.

“If there has to be some short, sharp … shutdowns of schools because there’s outbreaks and things, schools are well prepared to transition from model to the other,” Ms King said.

Press PLAY below to hear more about how schools are preparing

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