Ontario’s Education Minister says he’s committed to keeping students in school.
Students started a new school year last week, while those in Thunder Bay go back today.
Stephen Lecce says they do so in a cautious environment.
“With a robust protocol that has been endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer of Health that is aligned with the best expert advice of the pediatric hospitals, including Sick Kids and Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, in the country and the Ontario Science table,” says Lecce.
Lecce says it’s hoped measures like masking and cohorting could ease at some time.
The education minister says another improvement area has been with the air quality of schools.
“We reviewed all schools. One hundred percent of schools have been reviewed and audited. A vast majority have been, about north of 90%, recommissioned to calibrate and ultimately optimize their quality.”
Lecce says he’s encouraged to see a majority of students returning to school than learning from home.
He applauds everyone for making it happen.
“Bus drivers, teachers, EAs, principals, everyone have stepped up, and I think we owe them a great deal of gratitude. I also want to thank our parents, who have been really amazing, light in this broader darkness and just keeping their children motivated to learn.
Lecce says the province has also provided additional resources to help students who struggled with online learning last year.
