The ACT Government is delivering on its commitment to provide the highest quality education to young people by committing an extra $12.63 million for Canberra schools in the first half of next year.
The funding is for additional costs associated with minimising the risk of COVID-19 transmission in ACT public and non-government schools.
It follows on from the recently announced commitment of $5.7 million which will help fund this term's COVID-19 related costs as Canberra's 82,000 students return to their classrooms.
Schools have introduced several changes to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission on campus, which are based on the expert advice of the ACT's Chief Health Officer.
The Chief Health Officer developed a comprehensive set of guidelines for schools so they can minimise the risk of transmission.
Both tranches of funding pay for essential supplies like masks and hand sanitiser, improved ventilation, additional cleaning services and extra staff, including relief teachers.
The 2022 funding of $12.63 million for costs in term 1 and 2 includes:
- $4.46 million for extending daytime cleaning services through terms 1 and 2 2022
- $3.29 million to improve ventilation in school rooms. This includes capital works, CO2 monitoring, increased maintenance for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and an anticipated increase in electricity bills
- $2.92 million for additional relief teachers
- $2.50 million for additional shade structures in playgrounds. ACT Health has advised that schools should maximise outdoor learning to reduce potential transmission
- $1.5 million for the provision of masks and hand sanitiser supplies for public schools, early learning centres and for low fee paying non-government schools
- $190,000 for additional senior psychologists to provide online counselling for students and staff.
This COVID-19 related funding for terms 1 and 2 2022 will be sourced from the ACT's $50 million COVID-19 Response Fund.
Some costs will be recovered through the National Partnership on COVID-19 Response which provides Commonwealth funding to support state and territory efforts to address the pandemic.
The ACT Government will continue to follow the advice of health experts to ensure the safety of school communities and will consider any future costs as they arise.
