After days of confusion the decision has been made that South Australian teachers will not strike tomorrow – the first day of the school year.

However, back-to-school will go ahead with a staggered student return over the coming weeks.

The question parents want to know is when will children be back at school?

Under “normal” circumstances the South Australian school year would have started yesterday.

However, a State Government decision to delay the start was officially announced on January 14 due to a flood of COVID-19 cases across the state.

Under the government’s return-to-school plan, schools opened yesterday but this was only for vulnerable students and children of essential workers.

Meanwhile, students in reception, years 1, 7, 8 and 12 will return to classrooms tomorrow while all other students will be home schooled for the first two weeks of term.

South Australian teachers’ plans to go on strike when school returns have been put on hold following discussions between the Australian Education Union (AEU) SA branch and the State Government.

Last week, two-thirds of teachers who responded to a union ballot voted to take a day’s stop-work action over concerns about the state’s return-to-school plan.

A second ballot was opened after further State Government and union discussions last Thursday and closed the following day.

It was determined the strike would not go ahead, but rather be postponed.

Union members voted 76% against industrial action in the second ballot after the government provided a comprehensive “back-to-school” COVID plan.

Union SA Branch president Andrew Gohl said it had constructive discussions regarding the use of air purifiers, N95 masks and rapid antigen tests.

Teachers had been seeking similar protection to health workers for the return to school.

While health workers have full PPE as well as N95 masks and face shields, teachers were to return to classes with only N95 masks.

Teachers also requested social distancing, sanitiser and cleaning, an option to teach outside if weather permits and open windows if possible.

The government also announced it would deploy an extra 3000 air purifiers to schools in addition to 1000 already provided.

Last week, the government announced early learning and childcare educators would be given rapid antigen tests to use three times a week, but school teachers would not have access to routine testing.

Instead, teachers will be given a seven-day supply of rapid antigen tests if they have a positive case in their class.

Mr Gohl said the government and the department had an obligation to ensure that all learning spaces are safe for children, students and staff and that all reasonable and practicable measures to create safe learning environments have been implemented.

Premier Steven Marshall said the government believed two-thirds of the union’s concerns had been met and he was “hopeful” of a resolution.

Meanwhile, current statistics show 40.74% of five to 11-year-olds have been vaccinated since it was rolled out to this age group on January 10.