The plan for reopening early childhood education and schools makes up a major part of the Victorian Government's roadmap for reopening the state.
Like everything else, the education sector will be taking a staged approach to reopening, with each stage dependent on hitting specific thresholds that apply to each step on the statewide plan.
So, what's the plan for schools and childcare as we head into term 4 in Victoria?
Are the rules different for Melbourne and regional areas?
Yes.
In regional Victoria, childcare and early educators will stay closed until the morning of Monday, September 14 to everyone except permitted essential workers.
The same goes for schools, with remote learning the norm unless you have a specific exemption.
From September 14, regional childcare and early educators will reopen.
Meanwhile, VCE and VCAL students across the state will return for the start of term 4 on Monday, October 5 for their General Achievement Test (GAT) that Wednesday.
But it will only be school-based assessments and exams taking place on-site this week, not regular classes.
In regional Victoria, all year levels can start their staged return to on-site learning the following week, starting on October 12, with all the relevant safety measures in place, including things like enhanced cleaning and rules around face masks.
Those safety measures will have to remain until the threshold is met for a return to "COVID normal" as specified on the roadmap (no new Victorian cases for 28 days, no active cases in Victoria and no outbreaks of concern in others states or territories), at which point school days will return to normal.
As Premier Daniel Andrews said, it means term 4 in regional Victoria will "pretty well … unfold as it normally would".
For Metro Melbourne, things are a little more complex, so the rest of these questions will address issues in the capital.
When can kids go back to school in Melbourne?
A staged return for some year levels will start during the second step of the roadmap, getting them back to school for term 4. Until then, remote learning has to remain for everyone unless an exemption applies.
VCE/VCAL students will return to school for term 4 from October 5 so they can sit the GAT on October 7.
As with regional schools, it will only be school-based assessments and exams taking place on-site this week, not regular classes.
Students from prep to grade 2 and those attending specialist schools will return to classrooms from October 12.
Things are murkier for the remaining students.
Grades 3 to 10 may start returning from October 26 as part of the third step on the plan, but this is only listed as a "potential staged return" depending on public health advice at the time. And the same goes for the final step of restrictions on November 23.
"In terms of grade 3 to year 10 … we aim to try to get kids back [in the classroom this year], but that has got to be done safely and it can't be done in a way that would ultimately put at risk all the other goals, all the other goals of getting the place open by the time we get to Christmas," Premier Daniel Andrews said.
Only once all the "COVID normal" thresholds are reached can there be a complete return to on-site learning.
Until the Government is satisfied that the "COVID normal" threshold has been reached, every step of the staged reopening includes some degree of remote learning.
How will students complete their VCE, VCAL and other end-of-year exams?
Kids finishing or trying to finish school are the top priority as far as school goes, according to the Education Minister, which is why they are the first to return.
"For prep to year 11, we have time to address health, wellbeing, mental health, to address catch-up learning. And we will do that in 2021," James Merlino said.
"Our engagement with the public health team has been what can we do to make sure this is a year of meaning and that their results are a fair reflection of their ability and their performance."
The GAT will be held on Wednesday, October 7, while VCE exams will finish on December 2.
"Students will get their VCE scores and ATAR at no disadvantage whatsoever with students right across the country [before the end of the year]," Mr Merlino said.
"That has been our absolute focus."
What about childcare, kindergarten and other early educators?
These places will stay closed until September 28 to everyone except permitted essential workers.
Once the second step threshold has been met after September 28, childcare and early educators can reopen and operate as normal.
From October 5, session kindergartens are open.
With so much disruption, will students have to repeat a year?
Only as a last resort, according to the Education Minister.
Mr Merlino said repeating a grade should only be done in "exceptional circumstances" because they want the vast majority of kids to stay within their age group.
"This year, our teachers have done a brilliant job. Kids are still learning the curriculum," he said.
"Some students have thrived and some students have struggled and that is why we made a significant investment into mental health and wellbeing.
"The Premier and I and others are giving a lot of thought about what 2021 looks like in terms of additional catch-up support, and we will make those announcements down the track."
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2020-09-06 05:51:00Z
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