State leaders are at odds with Scott Morrison over whether it's safe to send kids to class during coronavirus crisis ahead of meeting to discuss reopening ALL schools within four weeks
- Schools could reopen in just a month as the spread of the coronavirus reduces
- State leaders believed to be prioritising getting high school students into school
- But confusion arose after message by prime minister on Wednesday morning
- Scott Morrison said it's 'so important' to keep children physically in classroom
- Comment reportedly led to children in Victoria being taken to school by parents
- Pupils turned away as schools in state only open to exceptional circumstances
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
Schools could reopen in just a month as the spread of the coronavirus reduces in Australia - but the state and federal governments have issued conflicting advice about whether it is safe to do so.
State and territory leaders are believed to be focusing on getting classroom attendance for high school students back to normal and starting in-person lessons again midway through term two.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a social media video shared on Wednesday morning 'it's so important children are able to keep physically going to school'.
Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton has also hinted at getting classroom attendance back to normal - saying schools are not 'dangerous places' for the spread of COVID-19.
But earlier on Wednesday, he said having a million children, teachers and parents in close contact could increase cases of the virus - leading to one Victoria Liberal member saying Mr Sutton had 'more positions on this issue today than the Kama Sutra'.
A staff member prepares take-home activities at a primary school in Brisbane on March 30. Schools could be opening their doors properly in just a month as the spread of the coronavirus is contained in Australia
A Victoria Liberal member said Victoria's chief health officer had more positions on the reopening of schools on Wednesday 'than the Kama Sutra'
The prime minister's comments meanwhile led to some parents in Victoria taking their children to school only to be turned away, The Age reported.
'It was disappointing to have our prime minister making comments this morning completely at odds with what is going on in Victoria, urging children to go to school,' Australian Principals' Federation president Julie Podbury said.
Term two began in the state on Wednesday, but Premier Daniel Andrews has said schools are only open for those students who vulnerable or whose parents are essential workers.
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Mr Andrews said the prime minister's four-minute message on Facebook was 'absolutely consistent' with state advice.
Both Victoria and New South Wales will use infection rate data and modelling to guide a decision about fully reopening schools, according to The Australian.
High school students are understood to be a high priority because of concerns about the impact of school closures on their end-of-year exams.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pushed for school attendances to increase, despite some states maintaining strict advice about keeping children at home.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has asked the nation's teachers to keep classrooms open
Sports equipment is seen left outside at a primary school in Melbourne's inner-north on March 23. Confusion was sparked in Victoria over conflicting messages from the state and federal government about the re-opening of schools on Wednesday
Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan has said in four weeks' time there could be a clearer indication about whether schools will reopen.
'What we're hoping is that in four weeks we will be able to reassess and have a look at where we're at,' he said.
'And if everybody has done their part in flattening the curve, hopefully we'll be able to have another discussion about what we can do to get more happening in our classrooms.'
Mr Morrison on Wednesday also said he is worried outcomes could be at risk if too many students are forced into distance learning.
'I'm very concerned about the quality of education that's going to be delivered to our kids this year,' he told 6PR radio.
Mr Morrison said he couldn't see parents being compelled to send their children back to school.
He said schools were unlikely to return to full attendance, but he favoured a more functional number of students to allow for normal lessons to return.
The prime minister pulled his two daughters out of school in the final week of term one.
'They were sitting in a room looking at a screen. That's not teaching, that's child-minding. And schools aren't for child-minding,' he said.
Labor's education spokesperson Tanya Plibersek accused the prime minister of contradicting state and territory leaders.
'Parents just want clear information about what the right thing is to do,' she said.
Australia has made significant progress in the fight against coronavirus, with a clear flattening of the curve on the graph measuring the daily infection rate
Mr Tehan said he is unsure whether his children will attend school in Victoria when private schools resume from holidays on Thursday.
'My children at this stage, their school doesn't start till tomorrow,' he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
'I'll be continuing to have discussions with them about that. We'll wait and see what happens.'
The Victorian MP denied the indecision over whether to send his children to school highlighted parents' confusion.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is keen to see an increase in face-to-face teaching during the term.
'I'll make sure there's plenty of time to update parents and students, but our desire is to see a change in term two,' she told reporters.
'We want to see students have access to face-to-face teaching.'
Queensland will review its advice on schools by May 15 in an effort to provide clarity for parents halfway through the term.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said schools were open for children of essential workers and vulnerable students.
Health authorities have consistently said schools are safe for children, but teachers' unions are concerned staff may be at risk.
