The Victoria government has pledged an additional $45 million for enhanced school cleaning for the remainder of Term 2 and Term 3 as students prepare to begin a phased return to classrooms.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced the state government would invest up to $45 million for cleaning that will occur every day at every school across the state for all of Term 2 and Term 3.
The investment aims to help to reduce the spread of viruses and germs in schools and will include the cleaning of frequently used high-touch surfaces.
Victorian government school students will begin a phased return to classrooms before the end of May, following advice from Victoria’s Chief Health Officer that it is safe for the community to do so.
Since the beginning of Term 2, most children in Victoria have been learning remotely, limiting the number of people moving around our state every day to help slow the spread of coronavirus.
From Tuesday 26 May, all Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students, specialist school students, as well as VCE and VCAL students will return to on-site learning at government schools.
The next fortnight, and a pupil free day at all schools on 25 May, will give staff, schools and families time to prepare for the change.
Students in the broader year 3 to 10 cohort will continue to learn remotely until Tuesday 9 June, to give the Government and the Chief Health Officer time to monitor and evaluate the effects that the return to school by other year levels has on the increased movement of people and transmission within the community.
In NSW, Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell said a massive logistical effort is underway to ensure schools remained stocked with essentials and cleaned daily.
“Normally schools stock their hygiene supplies, a huge operation is ongoing to centralise that job while supplies remain hard to source,” Mitchell said.
“Initially, we have dispatched more than 10,800 deliveries to schools, including more than 2000 litres of liquid soap, 22,000 bars of soap, and over 42,000 bottles of hand sanitiser.
“In addition, a first aid room care package containing personal protective equipment and a non-contact temperature monitor has been dispatched to every school in NSW.
“A rolling program of deliveries is scheduled to continue to meet the needs of schools on an ongoing basis.”
Schools are expected to remain in this current stage for at least two weeks.
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One Response
This is really fantastic news. Well done Andrew’s Government for spending where it will make a difference – increased frequencies on high touch points.