Most students currently learning remotely in Winnipeg, Brandon and in some rural Manitoba schools will remain out of the classroom for the rest of the school year.
Manitoba Education Minister Cliff Cullen and the province’s deputy chief provincial public health officer, Dr. Jazz Atwal announced the extended move to remote learning Thursday, but added some small groups of students will be able to return to schools in some instances.
“Test positivity rates and the number of cases in hospital and (intensive care units) are still too high to broadly reopen schools in certain parts of the province,” Atwal said.
But Cullen said under the new plan, schools closed for remote learning will be able to schedule in-school meetings with groups up to six students starting June 14 for in-person support, clinical support, assessments and transition planning.
Cullen noted public health officials will have final say on whether teachers can invite the groups back, and schools will have to follow public health guidance including maintaining physical distancing of at least two metres and ensuring students wear masks expect while seated.
“Extending remote learning as recommended by public health will protect students, families, teachers and staff as our COVID-19 case counts remain high and our health-care system is still under tremendous strain,” said Cullen.
“We know the value of face-to-face instruction, and limited use for small groups of students will allow students and teachers to end the year on a stronger footing.”
All other schools that have moved to remote learning outside of the areas where school closures have been mandated will be assessed by public health officials before being allowed to reopen, the province said.
Thousands of students in Manitoba are learning remotely under school closures meant to curb rising COVID-19 numbers that had been set to expire next week.
The province hadn’t yet said if they planned on allowing affected students back into the classroom before the end of the school year.
Manitoba’s chief public health officer had previously said the move to remote learning at schools in Winnipeg and Brandon, and in the Red River Valley and Garden Valley school divisions, would last until at least June 7.
Schools in Dauphin were scheduled to continue remote learning until at least June 9.
Earlier in the day Thursday the province announced kindergarten to Grade 12 schools in Morden will also move to remote learning starting Monday. The province said the move to remote learning in Morden will last until at least June 21.
The province reported 360 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths. Intensive care units remained swollen and 39 COVID-19 patients were receiving care in other provinces in an attempt to free up bed space.
While daily infection rates have dropped in the last two weeks, the number of people in intensive care could increase another 10 per cent by next week before starting to drop, Atwal said.
Meanwhile, the province laid out public health rules for schools not under remote learning to follow for the remainder of the school year.
Schools with multiple cases from outside of the same household will be proactively moved to remote learning under the measures.
School officials will be able to require students and staff showing COVID-19 symptoms to stay home for 10 days, and all extra-curricular activities, organized sports and off-site activities are suspended, with an exception made for physically-distanced walks or runs.
There will also be no indoor singing or indoor use of wind instruments allowed, health officials said.
Cullen said schools planning to host modified graduation ceremonies will be required to adhere to public health orders.
–With files from The Canadian Press
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