Rowville electorate
Mr WELLS (Rowville) (14:53): (6204) My question is to the Minister for Education. Minister, what extra measures has the government taken to prevent staff shortages in schools of the kind which we have seen cripple our health system with the omicron outbreak? Parents in the Rowville electorate, like so many others across the state, are anxious to see their kids return to school with a sense of certainty. With the high transmissibility of omicron and the shortages of RATs we have seen at the start of term 1, this has been a big concern for parents. Parents have also told me they are worried about yet another school year being disrupted by COVID outbreaks and how potential staff shortages and a return to homeschooling would impact on their children. After two years parents are crucially aware of the importance of certainty for their kids’ education but also the need for social time with their friends and the importance of being at school for their kids’ mental health.