The new school term began this week, and soon school classrooms and corridors will ring with the happy sound of youthful laughter (much of it muffled by face masks).
To help students and staff safely return to campus in Term 4, the ACT Government will invest an additional $5.7 million in schools and early childhood education and care services.
The funds will pay for essential supplies like face masks and hand sanitiser, improved ventilation, and additional relief teacher hours, announced Education Minister Yvette Berry this week.
The measures include:
- $2.9 million to improve ventilation in ACT public schools. This includes building works, CO2 monitoring, increased maintenance for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and an anticipated increase in electricity bills.
- $1.5 million for additional relief teaching hours, including covering staff absences and enabling staggered breaks.
- $688,000 to buy additional face masks and hand sanitiser for public schools, early childhood education, and care services, and for low fee paying non-government schools.
- $500,000 for additional shade structures in ACT public schools, so schools can use outdoor learning spaces more.
- Two senior psychologists to provide online counselling and support for ACT public school students.
As schools prepare for this return, practical health and safety measures will minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission. These are in line with the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee advice and the Chief Health Officer’s Health Guidelines for Schools and Early Childhood Education Services (including OSHC).
“The ACT’s return to school plan prioritises the health and safety of staff and young people, including their wellbeing, while allowing students to continue their learning,” Ms Berry said.
The ACT Government is working with the Catholic and independent school sectors on how it can support their infrastructure needs for a COVID-safe return to on-campus learning.
The ACT Government follows the advice of health experts to ensure the safety of all schools and early childhood education and care services, and will consider any future costs as they arise.
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