TEHAN: ..important message to all our teachers, and that message is very, very big thank you
for the role that you're playing to help us get through this pandemic. It is absolutely
vital that our students get the best education that they possibly can during the next four,
six weeks, during the next three months, during the next six months, for however long it takes
for us to flatten the curve. And the role that our teachers are going to play during
this is going to be vital. Because without them fronting up to our classrooms and making
sure that they are looking after those students whose parents have to work or those vulnerable
students, or without them being able to provide that tuition online for those students who
have been asked to stay at home, without that role, our children won't get that continuity
of learning that they need. So, the PM has sent a big shout-out to our teachers and can
I say to all the parents out there, right across our nation - as school begins to resume
for term 2, it is happening in Victoria this week - it will happen in Queensland and the
NT next week and various states and territories will then roll into the second term - when
you're engaging with your principal, when you're engaging with the teachers, please
stop and say a big thanks to them for the role that they are playing. Because we do
not want our children's education to suffer during this pandemic.
I'm happy to take any questions.
REPORTER: How are you going to protect the health of teachers who are quite scared about
going back into the (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)? How would you protect their health?
TEHAN: The medical expert panel, which is the panel which is made up of the Chief Medical
Officer from the Commonwealth, and all the state and territory chief medical officers,
has given guidance to schools about making sure we look after
the safety of our teachers. They are continuing to monitor that and to provide that guidance.
So, some of the things that they have suggested have been extra sanitiser at schools, extra
washing of hands, having lunchtime breaks done at different times for different cohorts.
If there are teachers who are 65 years or older, giving them a different role, which
doesn't involve teaching in the classroom. They are going to continue to monitor this
on a daily basis.
REPORTER: Minister, regarding the messaging coming out - are parents going to be confused?
Some states are saying, look, keep your kids home and as much as necessary stay home. Prime
Minister is urging for schools to open back up. Is it fair that people are going to be
confused about what is safe? What is going to happen? What they should do with their
kids? Keep them home or send them to school?
TEHAN: There's been a very consistent message right across the nation. And that is if parents
need to work or for vulnerable students, you should be attending school. And that's been
adopted by all the states and territories. Now, there are obviously different approaches
within that in different jurisdictions and states and territories ultimately have the
final decision with what happens with their schools in their state or territory. But the
clear message is for all those parents who are working, and they can't look after their
children safely at home, schools are open and your students can attend school. For all
those vulnerable children, school's open and you can attend school. Can I say
too to all those parents who are out there working, please do not feel guilty about sending
your students to school. You are playing a vital role in helping our economy, to helping
our society get through this. You are playing a vital role in us dealing with this pandemic.
So, we want you to be able to safely know that your children are getting the education
that they want at school, because school's open for you, while you're working. And also
for those - those children, whether they be from low socioeconomic
parts of society or be vulnerable children. If a parent thinks that child is safer at
school than at home, we want the schools open for them as well.
REPORTER: (CROSS-TALK) You don't want the quality of education to be compromised. Can
you really make sure that it won't be compromised given that there will be some teachers who
won't be able to teach, there will be an at-risk group, there will be some students at home,
and some time students at school. It doesn't sound like we can have the same level of quality?
TEHAN: Of course it isn't going to be the same. But we want our children to get the
best opportunity they possibly can to learn through this pandemic. And that's why all
state and territory Education Ministers, all Premiers,
Chief Ministers, are so focused on ensuring that we are going to get the continuity
of education for our children through this. That's why we want to make sure, in particular,
for those children of people who need to be working, for those vulnerable
children, they are getting the opportunity for their students to be able to safely study
and learn in a school environment.
REPORTER: Australia's cases have been declining for the last couple of weeks. Why not keep
schools shut until cases have declined further?
TEHAN: What we want to ensure is that as best we can our get that continuity of education,
that continuity of learning. And we don't want them missing out on an education as we
deal with this pandemic. As the PM has said, this pandemic's taking a lot from a lot of
people. Because we do not want it to take away our children's education.
REPORTER: How concerned about you about the impact potentially already on the vulnerable
kids who may disengage from the system?
TEHAN: That is one of our great concerns. We want to make sure that those children don't
suffer as a result of this pandemic. We want to make sure that the schools are open so
that they can go and get that education that they need, because, you know, if there is
three or four children in a home, there is only one computer, that can get very trying,
very tough, in terms of being able to provide that continuity of education.
Many regional and rural settings, where it just isn't possible to learn online - the
NT, there are some parts where you cannot deliver online learning. So, we want to make
sure that our schools are open for those children. I know that's what state and territory leaders
also want to see. Because none of us want to see those children, in particular, suffer
as a result of this pandemic.