Should students be going back into classrooms soon?
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If you ask Premier Dan Andrews, it's an emphatic no based on advice from the state's chief health officer.
But if you ask federal Education Minister, Wannon MP, Dan Tehan, it is a definite yes.
Mr Tehan created national headlines this week when he announced the federal government would bring forward $3billion in funding to religious and independent schools if they got 50 per cent of students back in classrooms by June 1.
"Why we're doing this is because Catholic and independent schools approached the federal government and said that some schools were experiencing cashflow issues and were asking us to bring forward the July payment we would normally make to them," Mr Tehan said. He said the funding would be split in two installments.
"They'll get the first if they commit to have a plan in place to have teachers back in the classroom teaching all year levels by the end of May," Mr Tehan said. "And then if they achieve 50 per cent of students at a minimum attending schools at the end of May they'll get the second." In his home state where the Victorian government has said students need to be home-schooled until the end of term two (June), Mr Tehan's comments were likened to bribery.
Warrnambool's Kings College principal Allister Rouse said: "It is a health issue over a monetary issue and that's the big issue I see, they are putting finance ahead of the well-being of staff and students."
The federal government's offer would obviously help the cash flow of struggling schools. But now is not the time for political points-scoring.
Parents are already uncertain about what's happening with their children's education. The debate about whether it is or isn't safe for kids and teachers to be in classrooms just creates more confusion and anxiety for parents.
What do working parents do if on May 11 the state government eases restrictions and they are allowed to return to work but children are still being home-schooled until the end of June? We need clarity not muddied waters.