A group of Brisbane students who qualified for an international linguistics competition have been given an exemption to an overseas travel ban, but only some of the students will be able to go.
Eight Brisbane State High School students were initially told they could not travel to the Isle of Man to compete at the International Linguistics Olympiad next month, due to a Queensland Department of Education ban, despite the federal government opening borders months ago.
After the ABC covered the story earlier this month, the school was given an opportunity to apply for an exemption, which was granted, but only four of the students can go.
The department's ban applies to all state school students, and had already prevented pupils from Mountain Creek, Merrimac and Worongary state high schools from attending a robotics championships in Texas this year.
Independent schools were not required to adhere to the ban.
When ABC Radio Brisbane asked the education department why the ban was still in place earlier this month, a spokesperson said they were working through "issues related to COVID insurance and other matters" to lift the restrictions "as soon as it is responsible to do so".
'Unfortunate' some students still miss out, mother says
Tory, a mother of one the Brisbane State High School students, said after being interviewed on ABC Radio Brisbane and ABC News, the department revealed the school could apply for an exemption.
"So, the school pulled out all the stops and did all they could to convince the education department to grant an exemption to these students, and finally on May 24, we were given the green light," she told ABC Radio Brisbane.
"Unfortunately, there were two teams that placed equal first in the competition from Brisbane State High School, and when the school initially declined the invitation to go to the international competition, the national organisers then naturally offered it to the third and fourth place.
An education department spokesperson said the department was still working through issues related to COVID-19 insurance and other matters in an effort to lift the restriction as soon as possible.
"While this process is ongoing, the department can provide exemptions on a case-by-case basis," the spokesperson said.
"To date only one school (BSHS to attend the International Linguistics Olympiad) has sought an exemption, and it has been granted based on certain conditions being met.
"The safety of students and staff will always be our number one priority."
