Tasmanian students aged 12 years and over will have to wear surgical masks and classrooms will be equipped with air purifiers when school goes back next month, the ABC can reveal.
According to a planning document obtained by the ABC and sent to principals and school business managers, the Department of Education has placed a bulk order for surgical masks, as recommended by Public Health.
"Current Public Health advice is that primary school students do not need to wear a mask at school," the document said.
While the plan states 12-year-old primary school students would not need to be masked, "they would need to wear a mask when in public settings, such as a supermarket".
Many primary school children will only have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine when schools return in early February, with the state government's vaccination program only opening for five-to-11-year-olds on January 10.
Details scant on rapid testing
The school plan says the department has "obtained stock of rapid antigen tests (RAT)" but it does not spell out whether supplies will be distributed to parents and, if so, how many and under what circumstances.
Air purifiers are being delivered to all public schools by the end of January to improve ventilation, the plan states, with guidelines being developed to help schools "operate, position and maintain" them.
The government said 1,000 air purifiers had arrived and another 3,500 were expected in coming weeks.
Last year the state government carried out an audit of all school windows to make sure enough of them opened to provide ventilation. The opposition wanted the results to be made public, but that did not happen.
According to the plan, window repairs were carried out over the school holidays and schools will be told when it is all complete or "if a window cannot be repaired before the start of term".
Work is also underway to create approved outdoor learning programs, to be announced in early February.
What happens if there is a positive COVID-19 case ?
The planning document suggests schools will stay open if a case is identified but extra cleaning will take place "with an additional focus on the areas where the confirmed case occupied".
"Public Health would advise if a school needs a deeper clean … please ensure your cleaning staff are using the appropriate PPE."
Asked whether it was true that retired teachers were being asked to fill in if COVID-19 led to teacher shortages, acting Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the Education Department was "looking at every scenario".
"There will be teachers and support staff [who] will be required to isolate and ,therefore, I know the department is working on contingencies … to ensure the continuation of school and learning," Mr Rockliff said.
He said the vaccination rate for five-to-11-year-olds was already at 27 per cent, compared to a national rate of just 16 per cent, and that this augured well for the return to school in February.
Education Minister on holiday
Meanwhile, as pressure mounts on the Tasmanian government to reveal its definitive plan for the return of school on February 9, it has been confirmed that both the Education Minister Sarah Courtney and the head of the Education Department Tim Bullard have gone on holidays.
The acting Health Minister said Ms Courtney was expected back at work in early February.
"I was Education Minister for seven years and I have a very good understanding of our school system," Mr Rockliff said.
"I look forward to working across both departments to ensure the smoothest transition possible to the new school year. "
Mr Rockliff said that, despite being away, Mr Bullard was also "active in keeping full knowledge of the plans and preparation for the return to school on February 9".
Premier Peter Gutwein defended Ms Courtney's annual leave, although he declined to say where she was holidaying.
He said the state's schools plan had been worked on over the past several months and that Mr Rockliff was well placed to take on the education portfolio.
"I've seen the politics that have been played on this," Mr Gutwein said.
"The Education Minister is having a well-earned break and I would make this point, and I would hope that the media or the opposition or other members of parliament don't play politics with this," he said.
In his defence of Ms Courtney's taking of leave, Mr Gutwein alluded to his own experience from August last year, in which his was admitted to hospital after falling ill and released after a day, taking the rest of the week off.
"I know, personally, how important it is to actually manage yourself and have an appropriate break," Mr Gutwein said today.
Opposition education spokesman Josh Willie said it was not good enough.
"Now we know why there has been silence and blatant deflection from the government on this important issue — because the person who is supposed to be steering the ship has gone on holidays," Mr Willie said.
"There is nothing wrong with taking annual leave but, in times of real concern like this, those elected officials charged with ensuring every measure is being taken to get Tasmanians through this uncertain period need to be on the job."
