Griffith reacts to covid smart plan to start 2022 school year

As part of the new measures, every student and teacher in NSW government and non-government schools will be able to receive rapid antigen test (RAT) kits before school returns on February 1.

According to 2020 enrollment figures, this equates to approximately 9,000 tests per week in Griffith and surrounding suburbs.

This figure covers students enrolled in schools across Griffith to Yenda, Yoogali, Hanwood, Beelbangra, Tharbogang and Lake Wyangan.

The question remains however where these rapid antigen tests will come from, as the region has faced an ongoing and unprecedented shortage as COVID-19 cases have grown.

And if we unpack the maths further, local schools will require an ongoing average of 36,000 tests a month.

This number does not even include teachers or school support staff workers, nor does it factor in the larger need in the community for accessible rapid test kits.

President of the Griffith Teachers Association Jenna Woodland said that whilst the plan was an 'admirable' effort and had good intentions to keep children in the classroom, there were still many unknowns.

"Members of the public are struggling to access tests so how can the government support the provision of two tests a week to every student in not just Griffith but all of NSW," Ms Woodland said.

"Teachers want to see the implementation of mitigation strategies to continues and be as robust as possible but we just don't know how robust this plan is.

"Parents and teachers alike still have many genuine questions about how this plan can work successfully in the long term."

According to Ms Woodland, concerns surrounding the transport of tests to regional communities like Griffith and monitoring of the children taking the tests were also worrying.

"How reliable will transport be getting these tests here to Griffith each week?" Mrs Woodland asked.

"What happens if there is a delay, is there a plan for that?

"There is also no way to make sure children use their tests, family members could easily use them instead."

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The COVID-Smart Plan to keep schools open and students safe includes the following:

The question is whether the NSW Government in partnership with the Department of Education will be able to source such high numbers of rapid antigen tests on an ongoing basis.

"There is just so many unknowns still and we want to be positive and have our students back learning in classrooms but how this plan will actually play out remains to be seen," Ms Woodland said.

"Unfortunately there is no perfect solution, so we are all just grateful that the government is taking this so seriously.

"It is a nerve-wracking time."

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