Coronavirus: schools need to know what will force closures, says National

National wants the Government to clarify what would force a school to close.

Schools and other education providers need certainty from the Government about exactly what will cause closures, says National.

Education spokeswoman for the Opposition, Nikki Kaye, said she's written to the Minister of Education Chris Hipkins asking for clarity on what the criteria is for a school closing.

The Ministry of Education said yesterday it wasn't expecting or planning for widespread school closures, and that parents "should continue to send their children to school and early learning services unless, of course, they are unwell".

On Monday, Hipkins said parents should keep their kids in school as that's where they were safe.

Kaye said parents, students and education providers needed certainty about what the criteria was for school closures.

"I have also requested an urgent briefing on the situation around education institutions and I have had confirmation that I will get that this afternoon.

"It is important we urgently get clarity and have transparency about what factors are being taken into account.

"Parents want as much certainty as can be given around what arrangements they will need to make for their children and teachers deserve to know what will happen with their jobs."

A number of factors needed to be considered including how to stem the spread of Covid-19 and what the impact of school closures would be on the health workforce and older people who might be needed to care for children if they weren't in school, Kaye said.

And if schools continued to stay open, Kaye said the Government needed to implement addition measures such as:

- Greater financial support for those schools, early learning services and tertiary providers impacted by Covid-19.
- Additional funds for schools, early learning centres and tertiary providers for hygiene, cleaning and disinfection.
- Greater flexibility around school and early learning funding due to potential staff and student absences.
- Funding to ensure schools do not lose support staff.

Kaye said National would "work constructively" with the Government to help the education sector prepare for coronavirus.

On Monday, Hipkins said there was currently no scientific reason for the Government to close schools and universities because there hadn't been a community outbreak.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has been calling every school in the country to find out how equipped it was for e-learning.

The ministry also advised schools to keep students at least 1.5m apart at assemblies, and to reconsider school camps.