Bay of Plenty principals navigate outside of school learning for unvaccinated students

One principal is concerned unvaccinated students who miss out on trips, camps and tournaments will be emotionally impacted. Photo / Getty Images

Unvaccinated students will be disadvantaged under the traffic light system when it comes to education outside of the classroom, a Rotorua principal says.

One Bay principal has cancelled a school camp so unvaccinated students do not feel excluded while school sports events have been restricted to vaccinated participants only.

In a bulletin issued to school leaders in December, the Ministry of Education stated venues and facilities could choose to require vaccine passes as a condition of entry at the traffic light settings.

"This applies to all attendees at their facilities, including any school or kura groups with students who are 12 years and three months and older."

It encouraged school leaders to consider how they could provide appropriate opportunities for unvaccinated students to engage in learning outside the classroom.

Ministry hautū (leader) operations and integration Sean Teddy said education outside of the classroom activities may require additional planning to ensure all students could access the opportunities it provides.

It was working with other government departments to develop advice and guidance to make it as easy as possible for schools before most reopen for 2022.

He said all students and their parents or caregivers had the right to access education services.

John Paul College principal Patrick Walsh. Photo / NZME

John Paul College principal Patrick Walsh said unvaccinated students unable to attend sporting events, school camps, curriculum trips and cultural exchanges would face educational disadvantage.

"It is going to have an emotional and psychological impact on them."

And he said New Zealand schools were "underpinned by the fundamental principle" of equal access to education.

"We know from lived experience that barriers to the full suite of programmes and experiences leads to lost educational opportunity, disadvantage, lowered self-esteem and feelings of isolation from peers.

"Principals in Aotearoa have a well-earned reputation of working hard to prevent this from happening. It will be a significant struggle for principals in 2022 to adhere to their commitment to equity for all students as the vaccination mandate hardens."

He said it would "cut deep" for students involved in school sport unable to attend tournaments.

"The reality for unvaccinated students is that the accommodation providers or sporting bodies associated with these events require a vaccination passport. This context will be either extremely difficult if not impossible for principals to manage."

He said curriculum-based school trips would also "prove problematic" for subjects like geography, history, biology, business and drama.

"I have no doubt that principals and teachers will find alternative work they can do at school so that the standard can be completed. It is no substitute to being out in the field with your peers."

While Walsh respected individual decisions not to be vaccinated, he said it was important parents were aware of the implications for children.

"It will deeply unsettle principals as it strikes at the core of what they want for ​every student. That is to fulfil their potential in every aspect of school life."

Otūmoetai College principal Russell Gordon. Photo / Supplied

Otūmoetai College principal Russell Gordon said vaccine pass requirements had already impacted students "significantly".

The Year 10 school camp at the end of last year was cancelled and staff organised on-site activities for all students instead.

"There is no way we would send a group of kids on a camp where some can partake in certain activities and others can't. The decision we made is one for all and all for one."

Gordon said staff would be "calmly and cautiously" navigating "new territory" this year and he did not want any student to feel "second class".

"We are going to have to work smarter and provide opportunities for students who have chosen not to be vaccinated for whatever reason. We need to find opportunities for them to continue in their learning outside of the classroom so they are not disadvantaged."

He said it was important that all students were able to access education outside of the classroom to help their learning.

"I am a sound believer that if you are experiencing it, if you do it, if you live it - that learning becomes innate in you. That is what a lot of these field trips are around, experiencing the learning."

He said the school's sports director was creating additional sporting opportunities for kids at school "so no one will miss out".

A Bay of Plenty mum of four, who did not want to be named, said she had "already seen the division" caused by vaccine passes when managing high school students in indoor sports teams.

While she respected venue providers were following the rules, the woman was concerned unvaccinated students would miss out on learning opportunities.

She also worried about all students missing out if schools opted to be "inclusive" and adjust programmes to avoid having to exclude unvaccinated students.

"I would hate to see camps and trips cancelled if the majority of students were vaccinated. Ideally, schools would find a way to be inclusive of non-vaccinated students by offering alternative experiences for them."

"It's a sensitive issue and I also have sympathy for children who may miss out due to strong beliefs held by their parents."

A Sport Bay of Plenty spokesperson said sanctioned secondary school sport events in Term 1 would be "restricted" to fully vaccinated attendees which included participants over 12.

Communication about this was sent to schools in early December.

"We have not taken this decision lightly."

The spokesperson said under orange traffic light event restrictions, secondary school sport events and competitions could not viably go ahead without the use of certificates.

It would be providing member secondary schools with a resource at the start of term to support the implementation of sport on school grounds for students unable to participate in inter-school events.