Thousands of students head back to start learning in empty classrooms
It was D-day for New Zealand’s education sector yesterday as thousands of students headed back to class for the first time in more than a month.
Schools partially opened their gates yesterday, allowing students who were unable to be looked after at home back to class.
More than 40,000 students had been expected to return. But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said as of 10.30am 11,846 students were reported to be at school, and 7713 children in early childhood centres.
President of the New Zealand
Principal’s Federation, Perry Rush, said schools had reported only half to two thirds of students who had registered to return actually turned up.
Ardern said initial indications showed 1 per cent of students were being taught in class, and 4 per cent of early childhood learners were back in centres.
This was based on half of schools and just over one third of early childhood centres.
The low numbers showed people were taking level three seriously and were committed to cementing gains made at level four by working and learning from home, she said.
Rush said parents were continuing to be cautious when sending their kids to school, and had listened to the prime minister when she encouraged students to learn from home, which could explain the low numbers.
‘‘The extension of bubbles to enable connection to another bubble has allowed wider family to provide support.’’
Employment was in a state of flux at the moment, which was another important factor in low student numbers.
‘‘We have had many stories of students promising to return to school that haven’t because employers have not required parents to work as anticipated,’’ he said.
However, those who did arrive were happy, with principals telling him it was great to see the smiles on kids faces when they saw their friends and teachers.
Year 6 student Drake Chesmar, 10, from Whı¯tau School in Christchurch, is in a classroom bubble with his brother, Dylan, 9, and sister Lilly, 8.
He was excited to start drawing, playing and learning again.
Principal Sandra Smith said the students would be kept in one bubble, supported by two teams of teaching staff.
At Rhode Street School in Hamilton, five students arrived at the school gates yesterday.
Principal Shane Ngatai greeted
and scanned children’s temperatures before they entered the school grounds.
Parent Khong Keopraserth said Marco, 8, was getting bored at home. ‘‘Anytime something like this happens, like a virus or an outbreak, there are always two sides. I take the information from New Zealand, not overseas, and the risk in New Zealand is very minimal to no risk. I want it to come back to normal, rather than be scared,’’ Keopraserth said.
NZEI Te Riu Roa union president Liam Rutherford said educators understood the role they played in helping New Zealand get back up and running and were happy to do their bit.
PPTA president Jack Boyle said the union had been working since the start of the lockdown to prepare for schools re-opening.
‘‘These are unprecedented times,’’ he said. ‘‘Nobody in the sector, nobody in the government, has been through an episode like this before.’’
THE NUMBERS
In Auckland, 39 per cent of ECE centres reopened yesterday, but only 4 per cent of total ECE roll numbers went back. Fifty-seven per cent of Auckland schools had one or more students return yesterday, but only 1 per cent of total school roll numbers attended.
In Waikato, 42 per cent of ECE centres reopened, but only 4 per cent of total ECE roll numbers went back. Forty-eight per cent of Waikato schools had one or more students return, but only 2 per cent of total school roll numbers attended.
In Wellington, 33 per cent of ECE centres reopened, and only 4 per cent of total ECE roll numbers went back. Fifty-seven per cent of Wellington schools had one or more students return, but only 1 per cent of total school roll numbers attended.
In Canterbury/Chatham Islands, 44 per cent of ECE centres reopened yesterday, and only 4 per cent of total ECE roll numbers went back. Sixty-three per cent of Canterbury/Chatham Islands schools had one or more students return, but only 2 per cent of total school roll numbers attended.