Victorian schools to re-open from May 26

VICTORIAN government schools will begin re-opening their doors to students in less than two weeks in the latest easing of COVID-19 restrictions just announced by Premier Daniel Andrews.

Under the plan, there will be a pupil-free day on 25 May, and classes will resume for prep, grades 1 and 2 as well as year 11 and 12 students go back on May 26 along with specialist schools and those engaged in VCAL studies.

Students in grade 3 to year 10 will resume classes from 9 June.

“This is a staged approach, a staggered approach, both in terms of public health, to limit the number of people that are moving throughout the Victorian community, and also for a whole range of practical reasons, to give schools the appropriate time to move back to face-to-face teaching,” Mr Andrews said this morning.

He also said students in years 3-10 will still be allowed to attend classrooms early if they are unable to learn from home, and year 10 students studying VCE subjects would be allowed in the classroom for those classes from 26 May.

There will be staggered drop-off and pick-up times, and social distancing will still be in effect.

“That will be challenging, but this work,” Mr Andrews said.

Education Minister James Merlino said millions of dollars would be spent on keeping schools clean.

“Schools will have the PPE (personal protective equipment) that they need. There has already been additional supplies of PPE equipment. Schools will have all the hand sanitiser that they need.

“There are very strong guidelines and advice from the CHO (Chief Health Officer) in terms of hygiene and cleaning practices within our schools. There will also be $45 million for additional cleaning for the remainder of term 2 and all of term 3.

“So that means government schools, in addition to the normal cleaning that happens, there will be cleaning every day, disinfect cleaning, high-touch points, every single day throughout the course of the day at schools for the rest of this term and all of term 3.”