The B.C. government has suspended all in-school teaching activities for kindergarten to Grade 12 students indefinitely and all schools will be close immediately to limit the threat of transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
Education Minister Rob Fleming made the announcement in a Tuesday noon-hour media conference in Victoria. Fleming said the decision was made based on advice from public health officials.
“As the global pandemic is evolving quickly and is having as a growing impact we need to take action to keep those students, teachers, and staff safe,” Fleming said. “Today under the direction of the provincial health officer we are directing all schools to immediately suspend in-class instruction until further notice.
“Teachers will be prepared to plan for continuity of learning when their respective spring breaks were originally scheduled to end, March 30. We will continue to work in consultation with our education partners as we plan how we will provide ongoing education services. We will be in frequent contact with school districts and school authorities to ensure we work through this challenge together and to look for best practices as plans are developed."
More information on what the province has planned for on-line education of students will be released in the coming days. Close to 550,000 students in the province will be affected.
Fleming said every student will receive final grades and all students on track to move on the next grade in the fall will do so. Graduation assessments for students in Grades 10 and 11 will be postponed.
“I know that parents of students in Grade 12 will have unique concerns (but ) every student eligible to graduate this year will graduate,” said Fleming. “The only graduation assessment required for Grade 12 students is Grade 10 numeracy assessment and most Grade 12 students have fulfilled that requirement. The Ministry of Education, however, will work to ensure that all Grade 12 students who have not yet completed this assessment and who are otherwise on track to graduate are able meet this graduation requirement.”
Most schools in the province are into the first week of a two-week spring break. Schools in the Nechako Lakes school district, west of Prince George, as well as a small number of private schools planning to begin their breaks on Friday, will be closed immediately.
Spring break activities at schools have been canceled but school buildings will be kept open to provide child care, especially for essential workers. Licenced day care facilities will remain open but parents should be prepared to for immediate changes, depending on the recommendations of the provincial health officer.
“We also understand there are vulnerable students in the education system who have unique needs,” said Fleming. “There are important services like meal programs and child care programs operating on school grounds that will need to be addressed. Schools are already considering these issues in their planning while we work together in these extraordinary times.
“We expect school districts and independent schools will have plans in place to maintain some level of service for children of people who are performing essential services on the frontline to combat COVID-19 – people like teachers, medical health professionals, first responders and pharmacists.”
Fleming encouraged parents and guardians to talk to their kids to let them know why the schools have closed and why the province is going to such extremes to minimize the risk of COVID-19 pandemic to protect elderly and sick people who are the most vulnerable to the virus.
Premier John Horgan said the government will do all it can to ensure people will keep earning their wages and will not suffer financially if they have to take time off work to look after their children.
The NDP government is working out details of a financial plan that will also involve the federal government to enact changes to labour laws to help parents who will require child care services during the coronavirus crisis. The province wants expanded Employment Insurance coverage so self-employed and part-time workers will receive benefits. Horgan vowed to protect workers who have to leave their jobs to self-isolate to prevent transmission of the virus.
“This is a crisis situation,” said Horgan. “We need an appropriate level of response from all orders of government and I’m confident the prime minister and his team understands that, but there are improvements that can and should be made in how we access Employment Insurance in Canada and this is the time to do that.
“In the event someone has to stay at home to self-isolate in the interest of protecting their co-workers and their sector, we want to make sure no one loses their job by doing the right thing and that will require changes to the Employment Standards Act.
“I want to commend those who are taking appropriate actions for themselves, their families and their businesses and I want to assure them we are going to do everything in our power to make sure that your employment or your salaries are maintained.”
Finance Minister Carole James said the province will wait until details of the federal government’s $25 billion economic stimulus plan is revealed on Wednesday before making any decisions on its own spending to deal with the COVID-19 crisis.
She said the province has three priorities in working out its economic strategy. It first plans to ensure there are adequate supports and services in place to protect the health and safety of the people. Secondly, it will work with the federal government on initiatives to bring in immediate relief for people and businesses. The third stream will be to build B.C.’s longterm plan for economic recovery in collaboration with the business community.
“British Columbians can be assured, the government has your back, together we’re going to get through this,” said James. “We all have to remember as well that this is a marathon, not a sprint.”
