Waterloo Region students will not be returning to the classroom next week, Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the education minister did not provide an idea as to when schools in the area might reopen or when parents might learn about whether schools might reopen.
“The Chief Medical Officer of Health will continue to review the public health trends and advise the government on the resumption of in person learning,” Caitlin Clark said in an email.
Schools in Kingston, Peterborough and some other remote areas of the province will join some northern Ontario students in making their return to the classroom on Monday.
On Boxing Day, the province announced that all schools across the province would remain closed for an extra week after Christmas.
Those students were expected to return to in-person learning on Jan. 11.
Lecce reiterated that in a letter to parents on Jan. 4, but shifted gears three days later when he announced that a good portion of southern Ontario schools would continue remote learning until Jan. 25.
Parents of students in hotspots such as Toronto, Hamilton, Peel and Windsor were given more certainty as schools there will remained closed until at least Feb. 10.
At the time, he said a decision would be made on Jan. 20 as to whether other schools would be allowed to open.