Principals, teachers and unions representing them are mostly in agreement schools should reopen.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But they question when and how this should occur.
These questions come hot on the heels of NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirming on Tuesday that every public school student will be attending school for one day a week from May 11.
NSW Primary Principals Association president Phil Seymour sees some merit in this but does not want to rush the process.
"We have some misgivings about safety of staff but the government has satisfied us they have addressed this," Mr Seymour said.
'We just got to work out now how we are going to arrange this rostering. It is going to be quite complicated because the Premier said siblings together, so that is going to make it a little bit complicated but we'll have to work on it.
"It will only work though if parents hold the line. If parents say okay I'll send my children on that day that is designated and they will stay at home and do their learning from home on the other days.
"We've still got to cater for the kids of essential service workers so they will be in a different pool I would guess.
"If parents can do that and teachers can stay socially separated at school, I think we will be able to do this.
"But we don't need to rush.
"Let's try five-six weeks of this one day a week, see how it goes then try two days a week and see how that goes.
"I wouldn't be rushing it. We want it to work but it will be different to what we used to have."
The Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT branch secretary Mark Northam stresses a safe and orderly transition back to school on a full-time basis does not need to be rushed.
The branch represents over 30,000 teachers, principals and support staff in Catholic and independent schools, early childhood centres and post-secondary colleges.
Mr Northam said no one was keener to see the return of face to face learning than teachers and support staff, but this should not be at the expense of their personal safety.
"A rushed return to face to face teaching risks revisiting the untenable and stressful situation where teachers will again be forced to deliver two modes of instruction, both online and face to face. The IEUA NSW/ACT branch is seeking assurances from the Minister that this will not be the case," he said.
"The union strongly believes that the members of the profession are the ones best placed to make decisions as to how education should be delivered in this time of crisis. To date we have been largely left out of the decision making process."
Mr Northam said IEUA was calling for a careful and agreed plan to reopen schools that ensures a safe return for teachers and support staff.
"The union believes that a staged reopening, commencing around mid-Term 2, would provide teachers and support staff with the health and safety assurances to which they are entitled, and students with the continuing educational outcomes they deserve," he said.
Mr Northam also pointed an article by leading education researcher, Professor John Hattie which shows us that effective distance education can happen.
"We know that valuable learning is taking place in the current remote environment. To suggest otherwise is both disingenuous and disrespectful to the profession," he said.
Our COVID-19 news articles relating to public health and safety are free for anyone to access. However, we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.