Canberra public schools will receive extra funding for COVID-safe schools next year, ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry announced: $12.63 million in the first half of next year.

The funding is for additional costs associated with minimising the risk of COVID-19 transmission in ACT public and non-government schools.

The government recently committed $5.7 million to fund this term’s COVID-19 related costs as Canberra’s 82,000 students return to their classrooms.

Both tranches of funding pay for essential supplies like masks and hand sanitiser, improved ventilation, additional cleaning services, and extra staff, including relief teachers.

Schools introduced several changes to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission on campus, based on a comprehensive set of guidelines developed by the ACT’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerryn Coleman.

The 2022 funding of $12.63 million for costs in term 1 and 2 includes:

•           $4.46 million for extending daytime cleaning services through terms 1 and 2, 2022;

•           $3.29 million to improve ventilation in school rooms. This includes capital works; carbon dioxide monitoring; increased maintenance for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; and an anticipated increase in electricity bills;

•           $2.92 million for additional relief teachers;

•           $2.50 million for shade structures in playgrounds. ACT Health has advised that schools should maximise outdoor learning to reduce potential transmission;

•           $1.5 million for masks and hand sanitiser for public schools, early learning centres, and low fee-paying non-government schools;

•           $190,000 for additional senior psychologists to counsel students and staff online.

This COVID-19 related funding for terms 1 and 2 2022 will be sourced from the ACT’s $50 million COVID-19 Response Fund.

Some costs will be recovered through the Commonwealth’s National Partnership on COVID-19 Response, which funds state and territory efforts to address the pandemic.

The ACT Government will follow the advice of health experts to ensure school communities are safe. It will consider any future costs as they arise.