17 Feb 2022

Staff 'clinging on' as Omicron spreads through schools

From Checkpoint, 6:07 pm on 17 February 2022

With the number of New Zealand schools with Omicron cases at 320, Principals Association President Steven Hargreaves says they're basically back to remote learning like last year.

"It's right in amongst us. I know a couple of schools are closed completely and they've gone to remote learning... We're all just really clinging on, and we know that at some point we'll lose a lot of staff and students home isolating and probably go back to remote learning like we did last year."

He said they are in talks with the Minister of Education over being considered critical workers, and having access to RAT tests, so students and staff can get back into the classroom.