Face of Nation International : There are lots of numbers floating around about coronavirus — and education is no exception.
More than 1.5 billion students in 165 countries — that’s 87 per cent of global students according to UNESCO — have had their education disrupted.
And Australia’s 4 million students are part of that. Today finished a confusing fortnight for parents with the Federal Government’s peak body for health emergencies still advising schools to remain open amid widespread calls for them to shut. That advice to stay open has been met with fierce opposition from unions, teacher, some premiers, catholic schools and others. An uneasy truce appears to be emerging but parents should brace for a school term like no other.
What will happen at schools?
In a press conference on Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that after the holidays, school “won’t look like it has up until now”.
“We have entered the transition phase with schools,” he said. He also said state and territory governments would be “pursuing their own arrangements” so things could look very different depending on where you live.
Principals, teachers and education departments across the country have spent the past two weeks rushing to not only provide remote learning but hard copies for students without internet. Most states have moved to pupil-free days or have started the Easter holidays early to allow for remote learning in term two. The majority of students across Australia are now learning from home — with the Prime Minister today reporting NSW had only a 20 per cent attendance rate. And that number will only drop as term two begins across the country. (Source: ABC News – Australia)
