WINNIPEG — The Manitoba Teachers’ Society is calling on the provincial government to move Manitoba schools to red on the pandemic response system.
MTS president James Bedford says the move to red should be held for the month of January.
“This would put remote learning in effect for students in the K-12 public school system,” Bedford said.
Students in K-12 are set to return to the classroom on January 10 instead of the original plan of January 6. The extra time off will give the province a chance to assess the Omicron COVID-19 variant and determine its threat level.
Bedford says the best learning environment is in the classroom with a certified teacher, but “the health and safety of our students and all educators is our number one priority.” He says it’s the best way to manage staffing demands and to ensure the continuity of learning in a safe environment.
“We recognize that the students of critical services workers will be in school during code red. It is crucial that the province provide medical-grade masks (N95) for all education staff working in schools during remote learning,” Bedford added.
