Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont is calling for the PC government to offer a more flexible back to school approach.
Lamont tells CKDM he’d like to see school divisions be allowed to offer remote learning options or push back the starting date of classes.
“Right now the province is basically saying you basically have to school in person, and if you’re worried about doing that you have to take them out of the public system and homeschool them instead. We’re saying that’s not acceptable, and we’re backing this group called Safe September Manitoba, who say we have to have remote learning as an option.”
The Manitoba Liberal Leader and MLA for St. Boniface also wants to ensure the $85.4 million in federal funding for education actually goes towards making schools safe.
Lamont says the money could be directed towards making remote learning options more feasible by improving internet connections, or purchasing equipment such as laptops.
A release sent out by the provincial Liberals on Friday points out that other provinces, including BC, Saskatchewan and Ontario are all providing a public option for remote learning — but the Pallister government is not.
“I understand there are school divisions that are willing and able to do this remote learning, but they need to get permission from the province," says Dougald Lamont.
