REMOTE RETURN LOOMS

HOME LEARNING? Schools weigh up move as Covid and flu cases climb

GEELONG schools are preparing for a possible return to remote learning as soaring flu and coronavirus cases continue to rip through classrooms.

Greater Geelong has had 553 influenza cases so far this year and the region is also recording hundreds of new Covid cases each day – with 439 on Monday.

GEELONG schools are preparing for a possible return to remote learning as soaring flu and coronavirus cases continue to rip through classrooms.

The Geelong College principal Dr Peter Miller said the school’s current absenteeism level was manageable but “higher than usual”, amid surging influenza cases across the region.

He said classes were currently running as normal on campus, but teachers were “considering a number of scenarios” if cases continued to rise.

Greater Geelong is experiencing a horror flu season with 553 influenza cases recorded to date, more than the 497 in the same period in 2019, the worst year on record.

The region is also recording hundreds of new Covid cases daily, with 439 announced for Greater Geelong on Monday.

Dr Miller said the main cause of student absence this term had been flu, rather than Covid.

“We are considering ways that we can keep as many classes at school as possible in the event of a large number of students absent due to illness,” he said.

“We have not devised a particular plan but we are considering a number of scenarios.”

He said the school was aiming for a “flexible and sensible” approach and to have classes on campus “as much as possible”.

Kardinia International College principal Catherine Lockhart said the school was aiming to continue to operate face-toface learning for “as long as possible”.

“We have a number of plans in place if the number of Covid cases in staff or students rises to an unsustainable level,” she said.

Mrs Lockhart said while Covid cases were rising, the total number was “quite small” when compared with the school’s population.

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools executive director Jim Miles said Catholic schools across the state had measures in place per government advice.

He said some year levels at schools had moved to remote learning to “maintain educational continuity”.

It comes amid reports of the Education Department reaching out to teachers on parental leave to fill casual relief teacher positions.

“We’re supporting schools to stay open and continue learning face-to-face,” a department spokesman said.

It is understood 11 government schools in Victoria have had to revert to remote learning since the beginning of the school year, with the vast majority only doing so for a single day.

Deputy Premier James Merlino said last week a private school in Shepparton was among the first to temporarily revert to remote learning.

“There is one year level at one school where the students are learning from home for a short period of time as that school deals with some staffing pressures,” he said.

“We’ve got schools open, they continue to remain open throughout term 1 and term 2. Yes, there are staffing challenges, of course there are.”