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BENDIGO schools confirmed they would welcome students back on their campuses from Tuesday.
Some took to Facebook and their websites to confirm the news.
Catherine McAuley College principal Brian Turner posted an update on the school's website.
"The good news is that all Catherine McAuley College students are able to return to school on August 10," he said.
"Students will return to their normal timetable and program. We want the students back in the routine of school life as quickly as possible."
He said school buses and the canteen will be running as usual and students will still be able to access their lockers.
Mr Turner reminded families of the COVID-safe precautions still in place.
"All secondary school students aged 12 or older must always wear a face mask indoors and outdoors, unless a lawful exception applies," he said.
"Please understand that the college will be instructed by Catholic Education Commission of Victoria and the Chief Medical Officer of Victoria guidelines outlining how the college will maintain a safe work space."
Other schools such as Marist College in Maiden Gully and Bendigo Senior Secondary College would also be returning on Tuesday.
BSSC principal Dale Pearce also confirmed students would sit the General Assessment Test as planned.
"The GAT will proceed this Thursday as planned for students doing a Unit 3/4 subject and only those students need to attend school on that day," he said in a statement.
"No other classes will be running on that day."
Earlier
Central Victorian schools will welcome back students from Tuesday as regional Victoria exits lockdown measures early.
The sixth COVID-19 lockdown was due to end for the whole of the state on Thursday.
However, Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Monday a reprieve for regional Victorians from 11.59pm that night.
He said from Tuesday, regional schools would be open to all students and would have a density limit of one person per four square metres applied, except in spaces used by pupils.
Masks will be required both indoors and outdoors by children aged 12 and older in high school.
Kennington Primary School principal Travis Eddy said it was great news.
"It's great and we're lucky (to come out of lockdown) and we should be very grateful that this is the case for regional Victoria," he said.
"I think schools have been extremely adaptable and certainly try to do their best with the short notice.
"We've all got plans in place now which enables us to do that, but it doesn't make it any easier."
Mr Eddy said he was unsure exactly what the return to school would look like. He was waiting for more information from the Education Department.
"I'm hoping we can go back to doing what we do best and have kids at school, but we won't know exactly what tomorrow will look like until our briefing this afternoon," he said.
Speculation also remains if students will sit the General Achievement Test on Thursday.
Mr Andrews said there would be information about the GAT in coming days.
He said the government would make a special consideration for each individual student and where they would reasonably be in their studies if not for lockdown restrictions.
"That will take account of any unique circumstances and particularly any differences in settings between regional students and metro students," he said.
"We want to get them back on the same footing as soon as possible and the best way to do that is to get these cases under control."
More to come
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