Key takeaways:
- 7 million more additional quick tests to be passed out in preschools and elementary schools.
- Quebec Education Minister Jean-François Roberge states more rapid tests reaching to elementary schools.
Government of Quebec plans to reopen schools amind spikes in cases:
Quebec will circulate seven million rapid tests to preschools and elementary school students and teams and states it’s adhering to the goal of reopening schools in two weeks.
The retrieval to online learning in the region has been messy, as parents and teachers race to make certain students have the right materials.
Education Minister Jean-François Roberge states the region will provide students without internet access at home with LTE sticks they can plug into their computers. He stated school service centres and boards can ask for computers from the government if they require some to supply some to kids who don’t have any.
Also read: Quebec halts PCR tests for the general public as Omicron dominates the system
Roberge delivered an update Wednesday afternoon on the school status as most students’ holiday break is now around. Public Health Director Dr Horacia Arruda joined him at the news conference.
The pair stated they are not intending on further postponing the return to in-person education, which is planned for Jan. 17. It was postponed from Jan. 10 last week.
“I’m pretty confident that we will go back to in-person teaching and learning Jan. 17, but I can’t be sure 100 per cent, of course, because COVID is COVID and we have to listen to public health,” Roberge stated, counting that public health specialists have said they are in acceptance of reopening as soon as feasible because of the negative results keeping schools closed can have on kids and their growth. Arruda agreed, stating, the area “would have to be in high crisis” to shut schools again. Source – cbc.ca
