Teachers have had to purchase their own hand sanitiser for their classrooms, and in at least one Illawarra school, teachers have got together and made their own sanitiser from chemical stores, as promised sanitation equipment had still not arrived from the Education Department.
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Almost two weeks ago Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the department had gone "over and above" in safety precautions, in preparation for students to return to classrooms.
"We've also made sure we have enough hand sanitiser, soap and all those things which make a school community feel safe, not just be safe," she said.
But schools have still received little, if any, equipment despite 56,000 more students turning up at NSW public schools last week, than at the end of Term 1.
Students are expected back one day a week from Week 3 of term - May 11.
"Schools that have got their sanitary 'care packages' have just got bars of soap," one science teacher told the Mercury on Friday.
"A lot of teachers are buying sanitiser out of their own pocket. Principals are going to great lengths to try and source and find sanitising equipment."
Teachers at his school had sourced even sourced chemicals and made up a batch of hand sanitiser themselves, with the principal's support.
"Teachers feel confident in their colleagues and their schools, but they don't feel confident in the support they're getting from the government," he said. "It's all words, no action from the Government, but for teachers we're all about action, what's best for the kids."
The NSW Education Department has not responded to the Mercury's questions on the issue.
Primary Principals Association president, and former principal of Hayes Park Primary at Kanahooka, Phil Seymour, said that on a Friday Zoom conference call with department secretary Mark Scott, principals were assured the gear would arrive soon.
"They're staggered delivering it," he said.
"They are delivering it box by box to all schools and by Week 3, all the equipment will be there.
"Some schools got a box with five cakes of soap in it, a couple of plastic aprons, and two litres of sanitiser - nowhere near enough.
"But they're saying it will all be there before we change systems on May 11."
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Ben Langford
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
