Students, teachers and school staff across the Territory return to the classroom today for the first official day of Term 3.
Learning in NT schools in Term 3 will be delivered face-to-face. However, students who have travelled from interstate who are required to quarantine will be supported by their school to engage in remote learning from the start of the term.
Students and staff who have completed quarantine will be required to produce a negative COVID-19 test result letter before returning to the classroom.
Schools are managing their own COVID-19 response at the local level, with all having developed individual pandemic preparedness plans earlier this year. This plan will also guide learning delivery in the event of community transmission of COVID-19.
To date, there has been no community transmission in the Territory.
Currently, 24 teaching staff and one non-teaching staff member are completing mandatory quarantine after returning from designated coronavirus hotspots.
A further 27 teaching staff and three non-teaching staff are undertaking self-isolation, in compliance with directions from the Chief Health Officer relating to interstate arrivals prior to 17 July.
In Term 3, schools have been provided with an extra $1.3 million in funding to help cover the costs of additional and/or specialist cleaning. It follows $1.7 million in extra funding provided to schools for cleaning in between March and June.
Northern Territory schools were the first in Australia to return to face-to-face learning from the beginning of Term 2.
Across the Territory, average school attendance in Term 2 was nearly 80 per cent - about two per cent higher than Term 2, 2019.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education, Selena Uibo.
“The safety of Territorians is our priority and we will keep doing whatever it takes to protect lives.
“While the Territory is currently the safest jurisdiction in Australia, there is no room for complacency and each school has a pandemic plan in place to ensure the safety of students, staff and wider school community.
“Teachers and principals have done an extraordinary job throughout the pandemic and have prepared for flexible delivery of education, should the need arise.
“We are focused on ensuring that we can continue to provide our early childhood and education services in a safe environment for our students, staff and the wider community.
“I would like to thank all teachers, support staff and departmental staff, our students and their families, for their patience and understanding in these extraordinary times.”
Media contact: Kim Stephens 0417 683 144