Peel schools implement remote learning despite government advice to reopen

The state's tally of recovered cases is 458 and just 81 remain active after a second straight "zero-case" day.

Students are being encouraged to return to WA's public schools next Wednesday, although parents have been given the option of keeping their children at home.

The arrangements will be reviewed after the first three weeks of term two.

But Catholic, Anglican and some independent schools are defying the public health advice and will instead implement remote learning for all students from kindergarten to Year 10.

This includes several Peel private schools continuing with plans for all students to learn from home.

Children from kindergarten to Year 10 in Peel Catholic schools will also do remote lessons for the first three weeks, whether at home or at school.

WA health minister Roger Cook said he was disappointed with the decision private schools had made.

"We've all got experience of influenza and the way it makes its way through young population cohorts. That's not the way this particular virus works," he said.

"We've found the viral load of young people is fairly low and as a result of that, they don't represent a significant risk when it comes to transmission.

"I simply appeal to people to rely upon the experts in the field and that way we can all act as one in relation to how we respond to the COVID-19 virus."

Both public and private schools are urging Year 11 and 12 students to attend classes.

With young adults making up the highest percentage of Australian coronavirus cases, many secondary teachers are concerned for their safety.

In an open letter to Mr McGowan, a high school teacher expressed her worries about having to teach Year 12 students face-to-face as many of them are adults themselves.

"When I go to my local grocery store and see them count us in so there are no more than 100 patrons in store at a time, see them spraying trolleys and serving behind a face shield, you can't blame us for wondering why we are somehow exempt from this level of protection," she wrote.

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Another Mandurah teacher was concerned the state government had jumped the gun by deciding to reopen schools next week.

"One to two more weeks would give us a clearer idea of transmission rates to make sure they are consistently low or zero," he said.

Yesterday, premier Mark McGowan said he hoped private Catholic schools reconsidered only offering face-to-face learning to Year 11s and 12s.

"The health advice is there is very low risk to staff and students by reopening schools and that is why every state and territory in Australia is reopening schools in one form or another," he said.

"We are putting a lot in place, I just hope that the private schools reconsider the decision they have made."

Only a handful of children have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in WA, while just one education staff member out of 68,000 has tested positive.

Mr Cook said some asymptomatic school children would be tested for coronavirus starting from week two of next term.