Ministry of Education's pandemic planning programme

What is the Ministry of Education doing for pandemic planning?

The Ministry of Education provides leadership for pandemic planning for the education sector. The Ministry's planning focuses on three key work streams: 

• Provision of workplace safety measures and policies to protect people 
• Development of business continuity plans, templates and guidelines to minimise the impact of a pandemic 
• Provision of information and resources to help education providers and agencies to develop their own pandemic plans.

The Ministry of Education, on an ongoing basis, is preparing the education sector for a possible pandemic outbreak. The 'Questions and answers' document in the Pandemic Planning Kit, and information on the Ministry of Education website are just some of the initiatives that have been implemented to date. Check the Ministry’s website regularly for up-to-date information.

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What was Exercise Cruickshank?

In May 2007 the Ministry of Education, along with three primary schools, two early childhood education services and a tertiary organisation, participated in Exercise Cruickshank.

Exercise Cruickshank was a mock rehearsal to test the whole of government's readiness for a pandemic. It was the largest exercise of its kind attempted in New Zealand, with 21 district health boards and over 30 government agencies involved.

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What did the Ministry learn from participating in Exercise Cruickshank?

Exercise Cruickshank gave the education sector an opportunity to put its pandemic processes and procedures into practice. As a result of careful planning and forward thinking, the education sector performed well in the exercise.

Exercise Cruickshank reinforced the importance of planning for a pandemic. In fact the procedures that were most successful were those that had already been rehearsed prior to the mock pandemic outbreak. There were a number of key learnings from Exercise Cruickshank which we want to share with you so you can build these learnings into your pandemic planning.

The key learnings are as follows:

1. Ensure all your staff, including support staff knows what to do during a pandemic.
2. Ensure after-school/centre/institution activities have a contingency plan in case of a pandemic.
3. Make sure you have sufficient back-ups for key positions within your ECE/School/TEO.
4. Identify who your local Health authority contact is so you know who to talk to if the Medical Officer of Health closes your ECE/school/TEO due to a pandemic.
5. Ensure you know how you will communicate with students, staff and parents during a pandemic or vice versa, how they can contact you.
6. Make sure your isolation facilities are suitable and you have enough resources such as paper towels.
7. Rehearse your plan by having your own version of an `Exercise Cruickshank'.
8. Be prepared. A pandemic or local infectious disease outbreak can happen at any time. It could be next year or it could be tomorrow!

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Who is guiding the work of the Ministry of Education?

A Pandemic Steering Group of senior managers has been established by the Ministry to guide its pandemic planning. The Steering Group is chaired by the Deputy Secretary, People and Business Capability (with responsibility for business continuity and pandemic planning).

Ministry staff involved report through to the Steering Group to develop and implement initiatives to support the education sector before, during and after a pandemic. Ministry staff will work closely with education agencies and sector representatives from groups such as the Schools Consultative Committee and the Early Childhood Advisory Committee.

The Ministry of Education will keep the education sector informed of any new initiatives through its website, email broadcasts, and publications such as the Education Gazette.

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What planning support is available to the education sector?

The Ministry has developed a Pandemic Planning Kit to assist organisations within the education sector to develop their own pandemic plans.

Managers and governors of ECE services, schools and tertiary education organisations should include a Pandemic Plan in their existing emergency management plans.

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What curriculum related resources are there?¹

Health and Physical Education in the New Zealand Curriculum includes learning outcomes and achievement objectives related to staying healthy, preventing the spread of communicable diseases and managing change, loss and grief.

Key messages for keeping well - teacher resources containing health education teaching and learning strategies designed to enhance wellness and in so doing prevent the spread of disease.

Please refer to: Change Loss and Grief in the Curriculum in Action Series (Schools with Years 1-8 will have received a copy of this resource).

Personal growth and development and relationships: Crisis and change - a curriculum exemplar for teachers to help students understand that change and loss are part of life and that individuals have different ways of experiencing and expressing grief.

Personal identity and self-worth: Understanding loss and helping others - this exemplar helps teachers assist students to explore aspects of managing change, loss, and grief.

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What is the New Zealand Government doing to prepare for an influenza pandemic?

New Zealand has been planning for an influenza pandemic for some years.

• The Ministry of Health has produced the intersectoral New Zealand Influenza Pandemic Action Plan that will be periodically updated to meet changing circumstances. District Health Boards have local operational plans based on the national plan.
• Other Government agencies have also been actively planning for a pandemic and developing material relevant for their sector. 
• The New Zealand Government, following the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO), is enhancing supplies of certain critical health products for use in a pandemic, including the anti-viral medicine (Tamiflu) and antibiotics. Final decisions on the best use of these additional supplies will be made by Government when the nature of the next pandemic is known.

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Where do I go to access the Pandemic Planning Kit?

The Ministry of Education's Pandemic Planning Kit is available at www.minedu.govt.nz/PandemicPlanningKit.

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Where can I go to access more information about influenza pandemics?

There are a wide range of websites featuring information about influenza pandemics which you may find useful. Some of these websites are listed below.

• Ministry of Health - for background information about pandemic influenza, National Health Emergency Plan, pandemic preparedness, planning, and latest updates.
• Department of Labour - has up to date practical, workplace-related information to help businesses prepare for a pandemic. The Department of Labour also provides guidelines that may help you decide on appropriate personal protective equipment to protect staff and children in your ECE/school/TEO and an article about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and practices and influenza pandemic preparedness
• Ministry of Economic Development - contains two separate sets of information to assist business continuity planning for influenza pandemics.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade - contains travel advice on avian and pandemic influenza. MFAT also prepares country-specific travel advice based on security concerns.
• Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Managment  link to CDEM Support to Pandemic Response (CSPR)
  • Get Ready Get Thru
• World Health Organisation - for updates of the global situation, pandemic stages, fact sheets.
• Centre for Disease Control and Prevention - background information about avian influenza, how it is spread, vaccines, outbreak information, travel advice and professional guidance.

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Where do I go for more information about viruses?

For more information about viruses including the Avian Bird Flu visit the Ministry of Health website.

Footnote 1. Leading immediately up to or during a pandemic event, the delivery of curriculum to students may be suspended. Some limited educational materials may be available, but parents or guardians may have to rely on their own devices to provide for their children's' continued learning during the crisis period.