WORK-FROM-HOME MUMS ARE DOUBLE-BOOKED
Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur has written to the Minister for Education, James Merlino, seeking clarification about the state government’s policy of prohibiting school attendance unless parents can’t work from home.
This week the state government declared that in Term 2, “on-site learning will only be available for children whose parents can’t work from home and vulnerable students without access to a suitable learning environment at home.”
Following this messaging, some schools have informed parents that children must be kept at home if there is a parent who works from home.
Mrs McArthur told the Minister, “Some young students may be unable to participate in remote learning without parental supervision, such as those who have just begun primary school in Prep and Grade 1, 2 or 3.”
“At the same time, your government has given the directive for parents to work from home if they can, and many workplaces are mandating this arrangement,” she added.
Mrs McArthur asked the Minister, “If for instance, one parent works at home and the other does not, how can remote learning be undertaken for young primary school students when parental supervision is not possible?”
“The meaning of ‘vulnerable students without access to a suitable learning environment at home’ needs to be clarified. Does it include young students who need supervision, but whose parents are unable to provide it because they are themselves working full time, at a level which allows them to keep their job in this job-scarce environment.”
“If it does not, I fear that this policy will discriminate substantially against working-from-home mothers, who will be unable to both work productively and supervise their child’s schooling simultaneously.”
"Why is childcare and kindergarten an acceptable place for children to receive care, attention and learning, but not a school? If parents who work are comfortable with sending their children to childcare, kindergarten OR school and these facilities are ‘open for business’, why shouldn’t they be able to?"
The Member for Western Victoria is awaiting a reply from the Minister, with Term 2 commencing next week and many parents still left wondering what the rules are.
"This issue needs immediate clarification. Otherwise, it makes a mockery of the ‘working at home’ edict, especially for mothers and single parents. Or does ‘working from home’ only apply if you don’t have children, can afford or can access a suitable tutor and are comfortable with extra people entering your ‘home isolation’ territory?"
9 April 2020