Schools in the Australian state of Victoria are struggling with temporary closures due to staff testing positive to COVID-19 after the government terminated over 120 unvaccinated teachers in April.
In one particular case, year eight students at Greater Shepparton Secondary College in the north of Victoria had to learn from home on May 16 due to a lack of teaching staff.
Victorian Education Minister James Merlino said that staff absence caused by positive COVID-19 testing was the most significant challenge for the state’s school system.
“That’s going to be the issue of 2022,” he told a budget estimates inquiry on May 16.
He further said that in most cases, schools were able to maintain operation with casual relief teachers and nearly 1,000 retired teachers who were recruited back into the workforce to alleviate staff shortages.
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