A teacher’s union president has rubbished the prime minister’s call for parents to send their children back to school telling him to “butt out”.

Scott Morrison released a video on his Facebook page on Wednesday morning pleading for teachers not to force parents to choose between sending kids to school or "putting food on the table".

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"We will lose many things in the course of fighting this virus," the PM says in the video.

"One thing that I know teachers are united on, with their parents, is we do not want one of those things to be the loss of a child's education, giving up a whole year of their learning."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged teachers not to force parents to keep their kids at home. Source: Facebook/ Scott Morrison

However, Queensland Teachers Union president Kevin Bates told Nine’s Today show on Wednesday morning that “up to just over a fortnight ago” it had felt that the roles of teachers and principals at schools “were invisible to the PM”.

Mr Bates said Mr Morrison’s statement is “a complete contradiction” to what Victoria and Queensland’s premiers have told people about school.

On Monday, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said term two would be made up of online learning until May 22 but that will be reviewed on May 15.

Teachers will be on campus with classes open to vulnerable kids and children of essential workers.

Victorian students return to online learning

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews also said last week the state’s schools would also be online with classes available on campus for children of essential workers and vulnerable kids.

Queensland Teachers Union president Kevin Bates said the PM 'made a blunder' and contradicted what the state's have said about schools. Source: The Today Show/ Nine Network

Classrooms re-opened in Victoria on Wednesday, but Mr Andrews reiterated the message saying: “if you can have your kids educated at home, that's exactly what you must do”.

Mr Bates told Today the prime minister’s comments, which come after the two state premiers released their plans, put principals “very squarely in the target”.

“There will be parents who will be saying, ‘the prime minister told me I should send my children to school’ and they're going to have to be the gatekeepers,” he said.

“They have to be the ones managing the resources because clearly in Queensland and Victoria social distancing, to keep everyone safe from infection, has been a primary concern.”

He said Mr Morrison had “made a blunder” by making the statement, but that schools should be open for vulnerable kids and those whose parents are essential workers.

Mr Bates was confident children would still get the education needed despite having a “short period of hiatus”.

He told the PM to “butt out”.

Education Minister Dan Tehan doubled down on the prime minister's message, telling parents they shouldn't feel guilty about sending their kids to school.

"You are playing a vital role in helping our economy, to helping our society get through this," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.

The medical advice has consistently been there is no threat to children from attending school.

Leaders will discuss the future of schools and how to protect teachers from the virus when national cabinet meets on Thursday.

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with AAP

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