By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A summit of education leaders will explore what “gold” can be mined from remote, flexible learning during Covid-19, Education Minister James Merlino has announced.
The late-June summit involving the government, independent and Catholic school sectors will look at what worked and could be implemented in future.
Mr Merlino said “thousands” of students had “revelled” in remote learning, including high achievers and some who had been previously disengaged with school work.
The lack of distraction may have helped students to focus better, he said. Others may have thrived under lower anxiety levels.
“That is something that excites me greatly as Education Minister.
“There’s been gold in the way schools have responded.”
He said the benefits should be made a “feature of our educational system”.
“I’m determined to make the best out of this crisis
“I think time is of the essence. If we are too slow then for those thousands of kids that have thrived under remote and flexible learning … we are at risk of losing those kids.”
Mr Merlino acknowledged that other students struggled during remote learning.
Some missed seeing their friends and the school routine, or could not keep up with lessons.
From 26 May, Prep and Years 1, 2, 11 and 12 students returned to school classrooms – under a new regime without assemblies, drink fountains, camps or excursions.
On advice from Victoria’s Chief Officer, the health risks of returning to school was low, Mr Merlino said.
About 17,500 educational staff had been tested for Covid-19 up until the night of 25 May.
One positive test had been taken from a Keilor Downs Secondary College teacher on Friday 22 May.
He had no contact with other staff or the school site at the time – and so no further precautionary action was required, Mr Merlino said.
On 25 May, Victoria recorded five new Covid-19 cases, including three returned travellers in hotel quarantine and a person at Hammond Care aged care home in Caulfield.
The state’s total is 1610 infections, including eight in hospital. Three are in ICU.
With 1533 cases recovered, there are 56 active cases. There have been 182 cases of probable community transmission.
More than 437,000 Covid-19 tests have been undertaken.
