News

Education | January 28, 2022

Letter to the editor - Back to school

There is a lot of excitement in the air as students across our electorate prepare to start the school year next week.

Connecting with classmates, meeting new teachers, being challenged with engaging learning opportunities, and enjoying extracurricular endeavours such as school sporting events and camps are just some of the amazing things our young people will be looking forward to this year.

These opportunities will be even more significant after two years of disrupted school terms and remote learning.

School is essential for the wellbeing, emotional and academic development of our children, and no amount of remote learning can replace face-to-face learning with a skilled teacher.

That’s why I am urging the Andrews Labor Government to honour its promise to Victorians to get students safely back to the classroom from the start of term 1, and ensure they stay there.

Our students, their families and teachers deserve certainty that the 2022 school year will not be filled with the difficulties they have faced over the past eight terms, and that schools will not be locked down continuously.

Our children must be able to get on with their lives with as little disruption as possible, and not have to sacrifice their participation in education, sport, social and creative pursuits any longer.

I wish all the wonderful young people in our electorate and their families and teachers all the very best for an incredible year of learning and development.