Parents and carers will be allowed back on campus at ACT public schools from Monday under a raft of changes to COVID-19 restrictions implemented by the ACT Government.
In a statement issued this morning, ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry said the Education Directorate has spent the past two weeks consulting with public school staff and their unions about the next steps for managing the pandemic.
From Monday, ACT public schools will welcome parents and carers back on campus and reintroduce many of the activities that had been put on hold at the height of the pandemic – events like assemblies, excursions, sports, camps, fundraisers and performances.
However, the Minister warned some restrictions may be reintroduced in the winter months if there is a significant increase in COVID-19 cases across the Canberra community.
The former guidelines will be replaced by a COVID-19 Management Plan based on Australian Health Protection Principal Committee principles, which will now be in place across ACT public schools.
Under the new arrangements:
- Families will be allowed back on campus to participate in a greater range of activities, including after-hours performances, fundraisers and events. They can also come onto school grounds for drop-off and pick up.
- Student cohorting is no longer required. Where learning cohorts mix, schools will consider other mitigations, like minimising the length of time or the number of students participating in organised activities together.
- Masks will no longer be mandatory for secondary students in ACT public schools.
- Public school staff will continue to wear masks – but can take them off when physical distancing is maintained.
- Checking-in is no longer required for staff and visitors on public school sites.
- Physical distancing should be maintained on school sites, but density requirements no longer apply.
- Household contacts will be able to attend ACT public schools for work or study, if they have met ACT Health’s risk mitigation requirements for household contacts.
- With high vaccination rates across the Canberra community, COVID-19 vaccinations will no longer be mandated for any staff working in ACT public schools – after 13 May 2022.
- COVID-safe cleaning will continue in line with the AHPPC endorsed guidelines.
- All ACT public schools’ Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) plans will be updated for the winter months ahead.
- Rapid antigen tests (RATs) will continue to be available at all ACT schools and be provided to staff and students on an as-needed basis – or in response to increased cases reported to a school. Early childhood staff will also have continued access to RATs under the same arrangements.
Each school will be in touch with its community about these new arrangements.
Ms Berry thanked all students, families, teachers and staff for adapting to changing health settings at school throughout the pandemic.
“We know the opportunity for parents to re-enter public school grounds will be a very welcome change. We are excited to welcome parents back to school sites and look forward to continuing to build the important community connections that make our public schools so great.”
“These changes also don’t mean a complete relaxation of rules. Our schools will still need to be COVID-Smart as we all continue to learn to live alongside COVID-19.”
Full details of the ACT Public Schools COVID Management Plan can be found here.
