Victoria's statewide snap COVID-19 lockdown has thrown another disruption into kids' schooling, with remote education in place all next week.
Acting Premier James Merlino announced that from 11.59pm tonight, Victoria would enter a "circuit-breaker" lockdown until the same time on June 3.
As part of that lockdown, schools and higher education will move to remote learning, meaning hundreds of thousands of students will be left at home next week.
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Mr Merlino said vulnerable children, and the children of authorised workers, would continue to have in-person schooling.
"We will support multiple kids, support children of essential authorised workers, to make sure that those children ... can be supervised at school as we've done in previous lockdowns," he said.
Childcare and kindergartens will also remain open.
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Mr Merlino, who is also Victoria's Education Minister, said he had ordered a pupil-free day for government schools tomorrow to allow students and teachers time to prepare for the change.
Catholic and independent schools have been advised to make the same decision.
"My message to parents and carers is to trust your school and your child's teacher," Mr Merlino said.
"They know what they are doing.
"They did a brilliant job last year and earlier this year they will do a brilliant job again."
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He said support would also be on hand for students who struggle during remote learning.
"This year we've got more than 5600 tutors as well as our existing teaching staff and other education support staff," he said.
Those tutors will be "particularly focused" on supporting kids who have difficulty adjusting to the change.
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