New term nerves
Chumko Andre
Education leaders tell that very few pupils appear to be going back to school under level 3.
DESPITE schools being given the directive to be ready to reopen come Wednesday, a small uptake in the number of returning students, and a refusal to open by some schools, means classrooms will be quiet.
Schools were told to prepare to reopen for level 3, particularly for essential-worker parents who can’t have their children aged years 1–10 at home.
Students must stay home if they are sick and schools must observe physical distancing requirements, including 1m inside and 2m outside. That’s on top of contact tracing and hygiene requirements.
Te Tai Tokerau Principals’ Association president Pat Newman said there was a mixed response to reopening in the North but some schools were emphatic they would not open under level 3.
He was aware at least one school couldn’t be staffed because the teachers had health conditions. Newman said officials had been unable to answer how children would maintain a 1-2 metre range from one another.
‘‘You’re talking cuckoo land. It’s just impossible. When 70 or 80 five-year-olds are together, then you’ve got children [with behavioural issues] who don’t listen anyway. [They don’t] wash their hands half the time anyway."
Peter Reynolds, chief executive of the Early Childhood Council, said 33 per cent of surveyed ECE members would not open in level 3 because they weren’t satisfied risks could be managed.
Fifty-five per cent would open; 12 per cent were unsure. Many centres could not afford to remain closed, while others were keen to help out for essential workers.
Huntly early childhood educator Hannah Swinkels’ petition to keep schools closed at level 3 had gathered more than 41,000 signatures as of yesterday.
But reopening with lower numbers was a chance to explore new ways of operating before level 2, Reynolds said. While rules seemed to be
‘‘getting clearer as we go’’, there was still tension in the sector, particularly about services carrying the responsibility ‘‘if something goes wrong’’.
Stephen Lethbridge, president of the Auckland Primary Principals’ Association, said a meeting last week with its community revealed ‘‘unequivocal’’ support for transitioning to level 3. Many were ‘‘supremely prepared’’.
New Zealand Principals’ Federation president Perry Rush said it surveyed 580 principals who had reported an average of 6 per cent of their school rolls returning. There was a ‘‘considerable’’ number of schools where no pupils were returning, while the maximum return rate for a school was 25 per cent. However, the vast majority of schools coalesced under 10 per cent.
‘‘That’s definitely telling about the uptake of the prime minister’s message for the vast majority of students to stay home.’’
The federation agreed with health officials that it was safe to physically open schools with stringent health and safety measures.
Ministry of Education secretary Iona Holsted said schools and kura were regularly updated on public health requirements and that they needed to take their health and safety responsibilities very seriously.
‘‘(Schools) are experienced at planning, implementing and monitoring their health and safety arrangements – they have had to respond to lockdown training following the Christchurch mosque tragedy and the measles outbreak already this year.’’