By Joanna Prendergast

ABC Midwest & Wheatbelt

Topic: Pest Control

Fri 29 May 2026 at 4:25pm

Mice and their waste were found in a school's dress-up box.

In short:

Mice are causing problems in WA country schools, so COVID-style cleaning is back.

School leaders say staff are very busy and isolated, with not enough cleaners and support.

What's next?

The Education Department has a new team to help with the mouse problem, but school leaders want more practical help and resources.

School leaders in regional WA are using COVID-era hygiene measures in classrooms because of the mouse problem.

Warning: This story has pictures of dead animals that some readers may find upsetting.

WA's Midwest and Wheatbelt are dealing with a long mouse problem that has hurt farmers and locals.

Local schools are having a tough time, and one school closed because of toxic baits.

The Education Department has a team to help schools with the mouse problem, but school leaders have more work to do.

Some regional schools got fridges from the community to keep student lunches safe.

This comes after weeks of frustration for school leaders who cannot find cleaning services in regional areas.

The Regional Principals Association president is worried about the welfare of local school leaders.

He likes the department's ideas, but thinks they will be hard to put into action.

He said school leaders are isolated and have to make big decisions alone.

Rodents chewed through a school's bin.

COVID-style management

Schools are managing the mouse problem like they did during the pandemic, with air purifiers and PPE.

But the president said this is a big burden on untrained staff.

Teachers are spending their mornings cleaning up dead mice, which is not what they were trained for.

A student saw mice on the campus of the WA College of Agriculture in Morawa.

Some schools are getting their carpets cleaned weekly, but the department is still working on deep cleaning.

There is weekly pest control, but it may not be enough to stop the plague.

Schools need to keep teaching and learning going, but textbooks and library books are being damaged.

One school is trying to turn the plague into a learning exercise.

They are using the mouse problem to teach maths.

Government silent on concerns

The ABC asked the Education Minister for an interview and asked the department about support for schools.

The ABC asked if the department knew about the shortage of cleaners in rural areas and if it would send help.

The department did not answer these questions, and the minister declined an interview.

Dead mice need to be cleared from schools and homes.

Fri 29 May 2026 at 4:25pm

Fri 29 May 2026 at 5:59pm

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