‘A mandate has been announced for anyone aged over 16 who enters a school, childcare centre, prison or airport for work or volunteering, which will bring the state into line with vaccine rules in the rest of the nation. They must have had one dose by December 17 and be fully vaccinated by January 23 to enter any “high-risk settings”.
‘Education Minister Grace Grace said unlike the upcoming venue vaccine mandate, which police have promised to enforce, employers will be expected to police the high-risk setting mandate.
‘“It’s up to the employers in those centres because this does cover all of the government and non-government sectors and they will have to ensure that people come in onto their site, similar to other areas are vaccinated, particularly their staff at this point in time,” she told ABC Radio on Tuesday. “Obviously, if there’s contractors coming up or volunteers, they’ll also have to have proof as well.”
‘When asked about unvaccinated staff potentially losing their jobs next year, the minister said, “That will be the health directive and that will be the manner in which we have to implement it.”
‘The mandate will not apply to people with medical exemptions or to parents dropping off or picking up their children at public facilities, but Grace said private facilities could potentially bar unvaccinated parents.
‘She said the state government would also soon issue directions on school ventilation to help reduce the risk of virus transmission ahead of the 2022 academic year.’
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- Queensland school children won’t return to the classroom until February – and some parents aren’t happy »
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- ‘There will be outbreaks’: Qld’s schooling year to finish on time now »
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Will schools now get back to normal? We have to do better than that
Chris Bonnor and Tom Greenwell write in Pearls and Irritations (14.2.22) that it’s critical we don’t just ‘return to normal’ in schools but instead take advantage of Covid-19 disruption to address structural flaws in Australia’s education system.
‘No one is craving a normal year more than parents, teachers and students. Two years of start-stop schooling has been a recurring nightmare. For many young people, especially those who were already struggling to engage with school, online learning has been no substitute for the real thing.
‘The eventual easing of restrictions will be welcomed enthusiastically. But we should aim to do more than just return to normal. For years, normal has under-delivered on countless promises, hopes and expectations. Normal schooling has delivered mediocre or declining average student achievement now for over two decades. Various measures tell much the same story: the connected and the advantaged are doing OK, but the strugglers aren’t improving.
‘Unless we are careful, returning to normal could see Australia doubling down on structures and policies which have long failed our schools. For decades these policies have continued to widen the socio-educational gap between schools: high SES schools have been growing, and low SES schools have been stagnating.’
- Will schools now get back to normal? We have to do better than that »
- Despite Omicron arriving, keeping schools open as safely as possible should be the goal »
- Test all students and staff twice a week, or only close contacts? States have different school plans – here’s what they mean »
- Staff and children in preschool and childcare aren’t being protected like in schools. We need a national plan »
- Return-to-school plans overlook chronic teacher shortages outside the big cities »
- An investment in clean indoor air would do more than help us fight COVID – it would help us concentrate, with lasting benefits »
- We shouldn’t delay the start of school due to Omicron. 2 paediatric infectious disease experts explain »
- COVID and schools: Australia is about to feel the full brunt of its teacher shortage »
- Covid doesn’t just stop at the front door of Australia’s childcare centres »
- COVID chaos has shed light on many issues in the Australian childcare sector. Here are 4 of them »
- We shouldn’t lift all COVID public health measures until kids are vaccinated. Here’s why »
- Queensland teachers and school workers face pay cut over COVID-19 vaccine refusal »
- Nearly 500,000 Australian kids go to after school care – it needs to be more than a babysitting service