Push to open schools
CRITICAL disaster funding assistance has been offered to teachers and students as recovery crews work around the clock to get Townsville’s schools back online.
Department of Education director general Tony Cook said teams of people would be working in schools over the weekend to clean mould.
“Our aim is to progressively open the remaining schools over the next week or so,” he said.
“We’re doing everything in our power over the next 48 hours to make sure that we can begin to open the rest of the schools.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Education Minister Grace Grace yesterday inspected damage at one of the worst affected schools, Oonoonba State School.
“I want to reassure our families in impacted areas, we are doing everything to get our schools open as soon as possible,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“To see the extent of the damage first-hand, makes you realise the effect on schools is going to be in the tens of millions of dollars.
“There is mould. There are issues associated with the clean up. Places need to be disinfected.”
Ms Grace said teachers and families at Townsville state schools would be able to claim disaster funding assistance to replace learning essentials.
“Teachers can claim up to $1000, with families able to claim up to $150 per student,” she said.
“We want teachers to be back in front of their classes teaching, and children back in class learning.”
Ms Grace said schools would only open when they were given the “all clear”.
“Safety is paramount, and we will only reopen schools when it is safe to do so.”
Communities Minister and Mundingburra MP Coralee O’rourke said the Government wanted to make the claims process as easy as possible for families.
“From Monday teachers and parents can lodge a claim directly through their school,’’ she said. “For teachers, the funding assistance cover learning resources like textbooks, musical instruments and any other items essential for teaching. Parents can claim for damaged or lost items such as stationery and textbooks.”