The South Australian Education Department has quickly backflipped on a pause to ocean activities for students across the state in response to a shark attack.
On Friday, Bridgette O’Shannesy was bitten at the popular Port Noarlunga Beach, and the confronting aftermath was witnessed by many school children.
That same day, bureaucrats made the decision to cancel ocean-based activities for thousands of students for the remainder of the school year, about four weeks.
However, Education Department chief executive Professor Martin Westwell and Education Minister Blair Boyer were not told until Sunday.
The ban was announced in a press release by Westwell yesterday, but by last night had been placed under review.
The move would have seen all water based activities and safety programs, even surfing, carried out in lakes and rivers for the remainder of term four.
Surf Life Saving SA was quick to criticise the ban, saying it would provoke fear in students who would be missing out on essential skills.
“We’ve stopped and prevented people from entering the water and learning the vital skills that actually might keep them safe,” Surf Life Saving SA CEO Damien Marangon said today.
Aerial shark patrols of Adelaide beaches will be brought forward by two weeks, in a decision that was signed off by the state cabinet.
Boyer said she hopes to restart ocean activities from next week.
“Certainly it’s my ambition to have kids back out in the ocean learning how to swim safety as soon as we possibly can.”
(9 News)
