South Australia has moved to effectively close schools across the state in response to the coronavirus crisis.

Education Minister John Gardner says as more families move to a learn from home environment, greater consistency is needed in the way schooling is delivered.

Schools’ doors will be closed, except to students whose parents work in “essential services”, from Friday April 3.

The minister says schools have seen about a 25 per cent absence rate across the board, with some schools’ classrooms even emptier.

Students will be given four pupil free days from Monday 6 to Thursday 9, before entering into the Easter break.

South Australian Education Minister John Gardner. Credit: 7NEWS

“This will enable teachers and schools to prepare for that mode of delivery through term 2,” Gardner said.

Gardner says vacation care will still go ahead, but the models of supervision are still being worked through.

Easter reopening

The decision comes after the federal government assured Australians that schools would remain open during the pandemic in a bid to keep parents working.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday night repeated advice from the nation’s chief medical officer that it’s safe to send children to school.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison during a press conference in the Blue Room at Parliament House. Credit: Sam Mooy / Getty Images

However, leaders including NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian have been telling parents to keep their children at home if possible.

Victoria and the ACT have moved to start their Easter holidays early, with pupil free-days at public schools, but other states have kept schools open.

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Morrison expects all schools will reopen after the Easter break, around Anzac Day.

He says it is vital that essential workers - who he defined as anyone with a job - were able to send their kids to school if they needed to, in order to keep earning.