New Zealand schools are scrambling to prepare for possible short-term closures or other alternatives due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The Ministry of Education has today said there are no plans to close schools, but it will be surveying schools over the next two days to assess resources. It has also today released guidelines on school assemblies and camps.
Some schools are being contacted by the ministry to see just how many families have internet or devices for home-based learning.
Mark Potter, principal of Berhampore School in Wellington, says not everyone at his school can access the internet.
“So we’re trying to think, how can we keep the kids going? What can we send home? If we send things home in a pandemic situation do we even want it to come back to school?”
If New Zealand were to close its schools, it would be joining a host of other countries including Italy, France and Denmark.
It includes all non-essential events with more than 500 people attending, but doesn’t including schools and universities at this stage.
Other counties like the UK and Australia are taking different approaches. British Prime Minister Boris Jonson said the scientific advice is that taking children out of schools could do more harm than good.
Meanwhile, Australian PM Scott Morrison has said taking a child out of school could increase the risk as they would potentially engage with others.
The New Zealand Principals Association says it's likely New Zealand will make decisions school by school, rather than enforce widespread closures.
“If we see the virus in just a few schools then it's appropriate to close those schools. If we see the virus more widespread throughout communities, then a more serious measure may be taken,” says Perry Rush of the NZ Principals Association.
The ministry has today released guidelines for school assemblies and camps. It advises that people need to keep 1.5m apart during assemblies, and 2m for those who are immune compromised.
It has also suggested for schools to either split assemblies or reduce them if possible.
For school camps, a thorough risk assessment plan is needed.
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