A BENDIGO school principal says while it is disappointing schools will have to return to remote learning, students and teachers are ready.
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Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday announced Victorian students of all year levels would return to learning from home from Wednesday.
Schools would still be open for vulnerable students and students whose parents were permitted workers.
Special schools would be exempt from the changes.
Bendigo Senior Secondary College principal Dale Pearce said his teachers and students were prepared to return to remote learning.
"We have had that previous experience," Mr Pearce said. "I think both teachers and students will be more ready. I expect we will have a smooth start to remote learning."
Catholic Education Office Sandhurst director Paul Desmond said he was relieved all schools would return to learning from home.
It came as St Joseph's Primary School principal Joan Coldwell on Monday confirmed two students tested positive to COVID-19.
There are now five active cases at the Quarry Hill school, including three teachers.
There have also been confirmed cases linked to Catherine McAuley College and St Kilian's Primary School in Bendigo.
"I am actually relieved that we have returned to remote learning," Mr Desmond said. "We did it well the first time around.
"I know it's extra pressure on parents but given that the Victorian situation has only grown more challenging in recent weeks with an increased number of positive cases, I think the Victorian government has made the right decision."
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Mr Desmond said many parents were supportive of the changes.
"If the children are at home and I am working from home and my colleagues are working from home, then the chances of the virus spreading have to reduce," he said.
"I am of the very firm conviction that the vast majority of parents believe, like I do, that remote learning is the best cause of action at the moment.
"Yes it is convenient, but it's all about keeping the children safe."
The Victorian government on Sunday indicated that the General Achievement Test would be pushed back until the start of term four.
At this stage, all other Victorian Certificate of Education assessments and exams would go ahead on the planned dates.
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"It's disappointing that the health situation across the state means that all students need to return to remote learning," Mr Pearce said. "What is sensible about the decision is that it will put students on a level footing.
"We couldn't have had a situation where Melbourne VCE students were in remote learning while the regional students were in classrooms.
"It would have created some inequities. It's sensible that everyone is in the same mode.
"What's challenging this time around is that the end of this period of remote learning would be much closer to the end of the year.
"We would return to school for about a week of face-to-face classes, then after a two-week holiday, we would come back for four weeks before exams.
"Five weeks of face-to-face classes is a limited time to recap learning from six weeks of remote learning."
Mr Pearce said the school community would have to band together to get through the next few months.
"The message to my students is that they really need to be on their toes," he said. "They cannot afford to be slipping further behind. They need to make the effort to stay up to date.
"I think our students will need a lot of support from teachers and families. Students will also need to support one another.
"It's certainly a year unlike any other. The challenges for the year 12 students are immense.
"I'm just constantly in awe of how well they have managed, but they will need that support."
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