Hon John Gardner MP  – Minister for Education

Monday 6 April to Thursday 9 April will be pupil free days in South Australian government schools and preschools. The move will assist the state’s educators to plan and prepare to transition to flexible learning, ready for Term 2.

“With the increasing number of children absent from our schools, our teachers need this time to prepare for the difficult challenge of meeting the needs of learners who are at home,” said Education Minister John Gardner.

“For those parents and carers who are able to keep their children at home, well supervised and in an environment of learning, we support this.   “We are providing support for those families through the Our Learning SA website – a key resource for families and educators across the state to assist in transitioning to remote learning. This resource will be built upon every day.

“Our schools, preschools and early childhood services do also need to remain available to support children of families in different circumstances, including people in our communities who cannot do their necessary work from home, along with a number of vulnerable children who need the opportunity to be supported at school.

“These pupil free days, which are consistent with the Prime Minister’s announcement on Tuesday night, will ensure our teachers are best prepared to deliver lessons regardless of whether the student is in the classroom or learning from home.

“The Government is delivering a strong response to deal with the significant challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, and we will do whatever we can to ensure young South Australians continue to thrive in their education with a learning program that is engaging,meaningful and accessible.

“We will continue to act on the advice of South Australia’s Chief Public Health Officer and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) in keeping our education sites open to those families who need it.”

The Education Department is currently developing options for vacation care during the pupil free days and school holidays. When finalised, details will be communicated directly to parents.

It is anticipated that Catholic and Independent schools will implement similar arrangements to government schools.

For more information on delivering home learning for your child visit education.sa.gov.au/ourlearningsa