So is the provincial government extending the holiday break for Manitoba students after all?
Sort of.
Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced Wednesday that a mandatory two-week remote learning period will be in effect for Grade 7 to Grade 12 students in Manitoba, following the holiday break.
The same two-week remote learning period will be available as an option for kindergarten to Grade 6 students, but not compulsory.
Goertzen says the move will reduce the risk posed by the change in students’ close contacts during the winter break.
He also explains 2-week remote learning period is only mandatory for students from Grade 7 to Grade 12 because “evidence suggests that older students have a higher incidence of contracting the virus, a larger number of close contacts and are more likely to transmit the virus to others as a result.”
Regular, in-person classroom learning will be available during this period for kindergarten to Grade 6 students, as well as for any grade 7 to 12 students with special needs that must be accommodated in the school or classroom setting.
This two-week remote learning period will begin Jan. 4, following the regularly scheduled holiday break.
Funding Update
The Education Minister also confirmed the full for allocation of the provincial government’s $100-million investment, along with $85.4 million in federal funding, towards enhancing school safety.
The province recently announced funding for a Provincial Remote Learning Support Centre, which aims to assist school divisions and educational staff during this remote learning period.
