New Zealanders from a range of professions are offering to volunteer their time to help teachers who may feel under pressure as children of all ages return to school on Wednesday.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced last week that Auckland and Waikato students in years 1-10 can return to face-to-face learning from Wednesday, the first time many have been back to the classroom since lockdown began in August.
It comes as a vaccine mandate for teachers is enforced and stories have emerged of schools under pressure as some staff refused to get jabbed. But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that as far as the Ministry of Education was aware, no schools were unable to open for learning as a result of the mandate. Eleven schools indicated "they have a high risk of staffing issues".
To help teachers transitioning students back to class and who may be seeing a greater workload, Kiwis have taken to Twitter to let educators know they're there to support.
Many of the tweets come with the #ReliefClassesForNZTeachers hashtag, with users offering to give up their time to video call into classes and provide an insight into lives and professions.
"If you are a teacher in NZ and find yourself with a greater workload next week due to some of your colleagues being absent, flick me a message and I am happy to try to organise to video call your class to talk about space, or hold a session for NCEA physics or calculus students," wrote Auckland University Physics Professor Richard Easther.
Other well-known figures using the tweet format include Nina Obermaier, the EU Ambassador to NZ, journalists Paula Penfold and Alison Mau, and paediatrician Dr Jin Russell.
The idea appears to be that of Orokonui Ecosanctuary educator Taylor Davies-Colley, who told RNZ his partner's cousin was a teacher who was concerned about how many staff may turn up to school as the mandate come into force.
"How it would be those people who turned up to work, who have done the right thing by getting themselves vaccinated to protect the kids that they work with, that would have to pick up the slack and fill in for all these people who would no longer be there."
His tweet has now been liked more than 1300 times.
Some Twitter users have had a bit of a laugh with the tweet idea.
"If you are a teacher in NZ and find yourself with a greater workload due to some of your colleagues being absent, flick me a message and I am happy to try to organise to video call your class & pose as a substitute teacher to get your kids to help me win Battle of the Bands," wrote comedian Ray O'Leary, in a nod to 2003 film School of Rock.
"If you are a teacher in NZ and find yourself with a greater workload due to some of your colleagues being absent, flick me a message and I am happy to try to organise to video call your class to talk about how to milk a Twitter bit that was mildly funny until it is unbearable," added user Blogboynick.
