Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Public health advice supports a return to onsite learning. It's clear that the risk of reopening schools is outweighed by the benefits of kids re-engaging in their learning face to face. Measures to help minimise the risk of COVID-19 will include mask wearing from year 4 up in most cases, ventilating classrooms, limiting the number of students onsite, and making sure groups of children distance from each other, and, with really strong vaccination rates, the balance of risk has shifted. As vaccination rates continue to increase, including the requirement for teachers to have at least one COVID-19 vaccination by Monday, the risk to children and students continues to lower. 