Buckle up for the start of the 2022 school year. It looks like we're in for a bumpy ride. All the uncertainty and anxiety is not exactly the year we'd hoped for.
Not knowing what's going on, the lack of agreement at the federal, state and territory level, the lack of communication, the lack of access to information and the lack of flexibility to accommodate vulnerable children and families is only adding to our anxiety.
We were all optimistic last year that things would settle down, and then the Omicron wave came crashing in. Restrictions were abandoned in most states and territories just in time for the festive season. Cut to the chase, hopes of a back to normal school year have now been consigned to the dustbin.
As Abba famously put it "Mamma Mia, here we go again" and those lyrics and that tune are now annoyingly stuck in head, however inappropriate they are in a global pandemic. Perhaps they reflect the frustration at the impossible choices so many are facing at the moment.
We need to reset our expectations. 2022 is a same, same but different year. It is possibly going to be as disrupted as the last two, but in very different ways. We probably won't see mass remote learning, although some parents are calling for it, at least until children have had time to be vaccinated or boosted.
It found that parents are most concerned about the risk to children and teachers, and the risk of infecting vulnerable friends and family.
It is time for governments to do their job. They need to be flexible to meet the needs of each and every child and family. The current rigid, "one size fits all' approach traps vulnerable families between a rock and hard place, having to choose between their health and safety concerns and access to education. This is unreasonable and will cause anger and resentment.
One person surveyed said he/she wanted remote learning because "I have cancer, a disabled child and a vulnerable parent in my household."
Why on earth can't this family have access to remote lessons before problems arise? Some states will only provide remote learning after an outbreak has begun in a school, which may be too late. Kids may already been exposed. The horse may have bolted before the gate is shut.
We are already seeing parents choosing home schooling as a safer and more consistent option. Some parents simply want the option of remote learning, until their kids are vaccinated or boosted. Most parents are desperate for kids to be back at school but they need to know it is safe and the details to ensure their safety.
The landscape of education is changing and education policy and provision needs to move with it. That's why it was disappointing that we didn't get a nationally consistent approach from national cabinet. Covid has increased inequity in education all the way from RAT surveillance testing to access to education. Right now we are hearing no forward thinking or contingency planning.
We are in our third year of Covid now and it is time for governments to finally get ahead of the curve and communicate plans in an open and timely way. Knowing what is going to happen and why will relieve much of the confusion.
APC is calling on governments and schools to:
- Publish Covid school safety operational plans to be published on school websites.
- A dedicated staff member for parents to contact in case of infection. This person becomes the subject matter expert for how cases are managed in school communities.
- Documented testing regimes and prompt updates on outbreaks in the school for families.
- Adequate supply of PPE, tests & ventilation for teachers in classrooms.
I wish you and your family a safe and happy school year. It's hard to predict what's going to happen, but some positive thinking won't hurt and may well ease the anxiety many parents and young people are feeling.
Jenni Rickard, APC President
president@austparents.edu.au
