Students will begin returning to school with NSW Health approved Covid-safe settings with Kindergarten, Years 1 and 12 returning from October 18; Years 2, 6 and 11, from October 25; and Years 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10, from November 1.
Former Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who resigned from the state’s top job last Friday, said the return to school plan was always linked to the vaccination rates of the community, and thanks to faster vaccination rates than expected, students will be able to return to the classroom sooner.
“We have been clear that a return to school should begin once the State passed 70 per cent fully vaccinated, and thanks to the incredible efforts from the people of NSW, we will reach that milestone sooner than expected,” she said.
The former Premier announced a two-month extension of JobSaver to give businesses the financial boost they need to get them through the challenge of re-opening.
“The light at the end of the tunnel is so close, and this support will help see businesses and workers out to the other side and prepare them for re-launch,” she said.
When NSW reaches the 70 per cent double vaccination rate, JobSaver payments will be tapered from 40 per cent to 30 per cent of their weekly payroll and at 80 per cent, when the joint Commonwealth and NSW Government JobSaver payments cease and the Commonwealth ends its contributions, the NSW Government will continue to fund JobSaver payments, but they will be tapered from 30 per cent to 15 per cent.
JobSaver payments will end on November 30, coinciding with the further relaxation of restrictions.
