Schools across NSW are either closed or operating with minimal staff due to the spread of Covid-19, forcing teachers and students home to isolate.
The Independent Education Union (IEU) has revealed 25 per cent of public school students were not in class on Monday because they were sick, self-isolating or were told to homeschool because of the lack of teachers.
Largexjmtzyw amounts of teachers are believed to be calling in sick due to the spread of Covid across the state.
NSW Education Minister, Sarah Mitchell spoke with 2GB radio station on Wednesday morning about the potential easing of isolation rules to get on top of staff absences.
“It is something that is on the table,” she told Ben Fordham.
“We are certainly being hit by teachers who have to isolate because a member of their family has Covid.”
“If we could ease those restrictions or look at ways to bring back our teachers as essential workers, we are looking at that, particularly as we come into winter.”
Brigidine College at St Ives on Sydney’s north shore has been shut for the entire week after so many students and staff called in sick.
A school spokeswoman said the “significant spike” of Covid-19 on teachers and students was having a “flow-on” effect to household contacts.
“Brigidine College has been unable to adequately supervise classes due to staff shortages,” she said.
Cronulla High School was due to undergo parent-teacher interviews on Tuesday night, but they had to be cancelled due to more than a dozen teachers having to isolate.
At some schools, students are watching movies during class because there are not enough teachers, The Daily Telegraph reports.
In just two weeks attendance has dropped by 164,000 pupils from 86 per cent in the middle of March to 81 per cent on Monday, while students at 20 NSW public schools were told to learn from home on Monday.
A shortage of substitute teachers means some classes in schools are unsupervised.
“It can mean a secondary school teacher supervising a number of classes simultaneously from the corridor, it can mean students in the school hall watching films all day,” IEU acting secretary Carol Matthews said.
“It is certainly impacting on teachers who are exhausted covering the classes of absent colleagues.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Tuesday ruled out changes to teachers’ self-isolation rules as the state recorded 19,183 new Covid-19 cases.
