AS OF today, Kindy, Prep, Year 1, 11 and 12 students in Queensland can return to school, while students in Years 2-10 are advised to continue learning from home.

Warrego MP, Ann Leahy has called out Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision and believes schools should be open for all students.

“Allowing only preppies and Year 1, 11 and 12 students to return to school today is annoying for parents, damaging for students and a blow to the regional economic recovery,” Member for Warrego Ann Leahy said.

“Teachers are caught in the middle between the guidelines, the wishes of parents many of whom are finding the home schooling situation difficult to manage, especially those with slow or no internet.”

She raised that boarding school students are facing more uncertainty and those from interstate are “finding the conditions horrendous”, despite the fact many have been isolated on home properties for the best part of five weeks.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk should stop pandering to the Unions and playing politics with the education of Queensland students especially when there is clear medical advice that schools are safe,” she said.

“Labor’s approach makes no sense to parents, students, teachers or the medical experts and its holding back the regional economic recovery.

“The evidence is clear that schools are safe and that students are suffering educationally and socially from the continued closure of schools.

“Once again, Queensland is suffering because we have a weak Premier, who is dictated to by unions, can’t manage her own Government and refuses to do the right thing for our state.

“I’m asking the Premier to think about our kids and act to fully re-open our schools and help our boarding school students get back to school as well.”