CORONAVIRUS —
SCHOOL CAMPS
296. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Education and Training:
I refer to the decision to postpone
or cancel school camps.
(1) Since the introduction of high case load settings
on 8 February 2022, has the minister received any proposals for consideration from camp school providers that
identify potential procedures that could be implemented across camp
schools to enable them to safely reopen?
(2) If yes to (1), when did the minister receive the
proposals and have they been forwarded to the Chief Health Officer for
consideration, and what is the current status of those proposals?
(3) Has the
Department of Education updated its school camp policy since 2020 to the
standards that other countries are now doing so they run camps, including rapid
antigen testing of students and teachers prior to leaving school for camp; and,
if yes, can the minister please detail the changes?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) I
have met with camp providers, and my parliamentary secretary has as well on my
behalf. We have received from them information about their practices to limit
the transmission of COVID-19 in camps. As I have said publicly, the Chief
Health Officer will review his advice to postpone school camps during the
second week of the April school holidays based on the status of the pandemic at
that time. Materials received from camp providers will be incorporated into
those that the Department of Education provides to the CHO at that time. One of the issues that camp providers raised
was the desire for an outdoor education advisory group to provide
regular advice to the Department of Education. I have tasked my parliamentary
secretary with establishing that.
(3) No. A
range of protocols and procedures are implemented in different jurisdictions.
Although it is largely not a regulated industry, I am aware that they work
within industry standards and guidelines to maintain safe practices. The
Department of Education will update its policy in accordance with the Chief
Health Officer's advice.