NSW parents must send their children back to their schools fulltime from next Monday or they are breaking the law, the state government has declared.
"Unexplained absences will be followed up," Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said, as she insisted schools were safe places.
After many weeks of online learning at home, NSW students at 2200 public schools are set to resume face-to-face teaching.
"We expect students to attend," Mitchell said, adding it "was the law" in NSW.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said studies carried out by NSW Health experts on coronavirus transmission among young people had "vindicated" that schools are safe environments.
However, she cautioned it would be "common" for schools to hit with infections and shut down temporarily.
NSW schools will learn to live with COVID-safe practices during the pandemic, Ms Berejiklian said.
"Because we don't know when the vaccine - if there is ever going to be a vaccine - is made available. We don't know how long that will take," she said.
Recess and lunch will be staggered, as will school drop-offs and pick-ups at the school gate.
Answering questions about how the pandemic has affected Year 12 students and the HSC, Ms Mitchell said exam dates were set and will go ahead.
"We've still got five months until the HSC," she added.
Students will be assessed when they return to school to see if their learning has suffered during the pandemic, Ms Mitchell said.
Physical education classes would still be taught at all schools, she said, but it would be non-contact.
NSW reported two new cases of coronavirus overnight, with both people who tested positive returning from overseas.
More than 5300 people were tested in the last 24 hours, down on the five-figure testing numbers of last week.
During her daily morning briefing, Ms Berejiklian was peppered with questions about slashed capacity on the state's public transport network.
She tried to allay fears that many commuters would be left stranded, but warned of "testing" times ahead on buses, trains, light rail and ferries.
NSW commuters must take personal responsibility to ensure slashed tough new limits on the network were adhered to, she said.
Buses can carry only 12 passengers, 32 people can safely ride on a train carriage and 45 persons will be allowed to board Sydney ferries.
"It does take a community effort, it's not just people who manage the system," Ms Berejiklian said.
"These aren't normal circumstance ... plan ahead."
Contact: msaunoko@nine.com.au
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