Schools are gearing up to open next week, but Otago Primary Principals’ Association president Shelley Wilde said the challenging nature of keeping pupils adequately distanced from each other meant classes would be very different.
‘‘It will not be school as children already know it, so there will need to be a lot of reassurance given to children so they still feel welcome, comfortable and engaged, despite the strangeness of the environment and the measures in place.
‘‘The kinds of environments and learning activities we set up will assist us to manage some distancing, but not all.’’
The Ministry of Education had given basic advice for schools to ensure each child sat in the same space each day, kept 1m apart from each other at all times in the classroom, and 2m apart when outside, she said.
Schools had also been advised to stagger start, finish and break times, Mrs Wilde said.
‘‘Finer details around how to achieve this in the complex reality of our schools is not yet known,’’ she said.
‘‘Principals and staff are currently engaged in discussions about what would work best in each of their specific situations.
‘‘For example, changing layouts in classrooms, using markings to indicate distances.
‘‘This will all depend on how many children will be attending.’’
Schools were working to ascertain potential pupil numbers.
‘‘Then it will be a little more straightforward to work out staffing requirements, room layouts, break times etc.
‘‘Our main concern continues to relate to managing the complex practicalities and realities of adhering to the health and safety needs of all children and staff.’’
She did not believe there would be a major influx of pupils returning to school because the reopening was for children of parents/caregivers who were essential workers and those who could not work from home.
‘‘Neither is it going to be for children who are unwell or have underlying health conditions, as these children must not attend.’’
Online learning would remain available to all.
The education sector still wanted ‘‘far more specific guidance and detail’’ from the Government, Mrs Wilde said.
Early Childhood Council chief executive Peter Reynolds said he did not believe early childhood centres could open safely under Alert Level 3, despite assurances from the Government that Covid-19 did not infect or affect children and teens in the same way it did adults.
‘‘We’re deeply concerned this viewpoint doesn’t match up with mounting evidence that children can carry, die from and pass Covid-19 on, and that the Ministries of Health and Education are unwilling to engage with our sector on this issue.’’
Until the concerns were addressed, he would continue to advocate for centres to remain closed until Alert Level 2, he said.
