HOT TOPIC // THE NEW NORMAL Masks are required to be worn by school children in class rooms in various year groups dependent on state and territory COVID safe operational plans.
The new normal JANUARY 2022 MARKED THE TIME THE NATIONAL CABINET AGREED TO A NATIONAL FRAMEWORK TO PROMOTE A STATEWIDE CONSISTENT APPROACH TO THE ONGOING DELIVERY OF HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION WITH A COMMITMENT TO KEEPING SCHOOLS OPEN AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED INTO ITS THIRD YEAR. EDUCATION MATTERS TAKES A LOOK AT WHAT THE NEW NORMAL MIGHT LOOK LIKE ACROSS CLASSROOMS AS THE 2022 ACADEMIC YEAR UNFOLDS.
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Currently, the operational plans include masks, rapid antigen testing, outside learning and restrictions on assemblies and events, with the National Framework aiming to ensure all schools and Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) are able to remain open. The framework is based around six guiding
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principles including: ECEC services and schools are essential and should be the first to open and the last to close wherever possible in outbreak situations, with face-to-face learning prioritised. With every state having had learning disrupted to various extents since the
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pandemic began, the repercussions of this are only just being fully understood and have been felt more strongly in some states and territories than others. Students in Melbourne have not had an uninterrupted term since 2019 and have had face to face schooling suspended for over 220 days since March
