Southern Cross Early Childhood School keeps preschoolers home as COVID-19 continues

More than two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began to disrupt the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector, closures continue to impact some services, with Southern Cross Early Childhood School the latest to ask preschoolers to learn from home as widespread staff shortages impact. 

Preschoolers and kindergarten (first formal year of schooling) students from Southern Cross have been ordered to learn from home until at least 17 June, with the announcement being significant because it is the first time this term that a public school has sent preschoolers into remote learning.

A number of primary and secondary students in the area have also been asked to participate in remote learning, with the ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry saying that while it had been a tough term for public schools, remote learning wasn’t something to be fearful about.

“There’s no escape from COVID-19 and definitely things switching from face-to-face learning to remote learning and back again has been challenging,” Ms Berry said.

“However, we’ve had really great systems and plans in place here in the ACT over the last couple of years, much has been developed with and by teaching professionals to get them through this and so we have been really prepared for this situation.

“We know it’s going to continue and that’s going to be tough for everyone.”

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