Independent schools in Victoria got around the threat of losing federal funding by offering students an option to do remote learning on school campuses.

Compass Education, which runs teaching management systems for government and independent schools, said it was handling data at a rate of 6.5 gigabits per second (Gbps) at the morning peak. On a normal first day of term it handles about 1 Gbps.
Chief executive John de la Motte said traffic peaked 25 minutes earlier than usual and when it settled down by mid-morning it was still running at three times normal activity.
“Schools and students are doing what the Prime Minister asked, even if it’s online and not in the classroom. They’re learning but they’re doing it online.”
Physical attendance at government schools in Victoria on Wednesday was zero to just a few per cent, according to the Australian Education Union. The average was between 10 and 30 students at most schools and in all cases they did the same lessons as online students but from a classroom.
“We’re grateful to parents who have kept their kids at home,” AEU Victoria president Meredith Pearce said.
Fee management companies for independent schools said schools were charging the usual fees for term two but some offered “targeted fee relief” for families who were struggling.
Some independent schools have asked the federal government to bring forward the second instalment of its annual funding package, which does not normally come through until July.
Private schools are still to hear about their entitlement to the JobKeeper package which is available to non-profit organisations once turnover falls by more than 30 per cent. A recent message from the government left schools’ status unclear.