Hon. Donna Faragher asks the Minister for Education and Training about a review of boarding school reopening during Term 2, considering COVID-19 restrictions. The Minister responds that advice is being sought from health authorities regarding potential arrangements for Year 11 and 12 students.

AnsweredQoN 381Legislative Council
Asked
17 April 2020
Portfolio
Education and Training

QuestionView source ↗

CORONAVIRUS —
SCHOOLS — BOARDING SCHOOLS
381. Hon DONNA FARAGHER to the Minister for Education and
Training:
I refer to the minister's
announcement today regarding term 2 arrangements for schools. Can the minister
advise whether a review is underway with
regard to boarding schools and their likely reopening at some point during term
2?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
the question. This is an important area of work. The advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, the
national body of Chief Health Officers, is that boarding facilities should remain closed. However, the Premier has
today asked as a matter of urgency for some advice from our Chief Health Officer and through AHPPC, if that is necessary, to see whether they could
consider alternative advice in the event, for example, that we wanted to ensure
that year 11 and 12 students who attend school through boarding facilities, can
attend if we can come up with arrangements to satisfy social distancing and
take into account shared living arrangements with a much smaller cohort than
might normally be the case in a boarding facility. I am hopeful that we will get that advice as soon as possible. In
the absence of that advice for public boarding facilities, the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education will provide intensive support for those year
11 and 12 students in particular.

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