Students and families will have the option of continuing online learning next school year.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce confirmed the move Tuesday.
“Every board in Ontario will provide that choice, a virtual learning experience, and we’ve asked them to provide more time to parents to make that choice. I think that’s important for families as they look forward to September,” says Lecce.
He did not provide details on whether students will be heading back to class later this school year or even September.
Lecce says the government wants in-class learning to return this spring but stresses they won’t take risks with students.
“What we heard in the consolation, absolutely clearly, is that parents want that choice for this September because we’re unsure of where this pandemic will take us. I think we all have a sense of hope with vaccines really rolling out in the province. There’s light at the end of this darkness,” Lecce says.
Lecce notes there are still too many unknowns and challenges right now, including high rates of community-based transmission, overloaded intensive care units and hospitals, and “porous” border protections. He claims 90% of COVID-19 cases in Ontario right now are variants.
He says the government will continue to follow the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, and his position hasn’t changed.
