While the Legault government will present its updated health plan next week for the start of the school year, the Federation of Teaching Unions (FSE) deems that we are not ready to return to class. They are even thinking that it will be better to postpone the start of the school year after Labor Day.
The back-to-school plan presented in mid-June "needs to be updated," Health Minister Christian Dubé said
The question of wearing a mask "will be reassessed", added Horacio Arruda, national director of public health.
Currently, in public places, anyone 12 years of age and over must wear a mask. Ontario, which unveiled its detailed back-to-school plan on July 30, will require masks starting in grade 4.
If a child or an educator in the daycare has symptoms, what precautions will be taken? This is one of the central questions that remain unanswered for the moment. "Are we isolating him? If she has children in school, are they also isolated? And it often takes four or five days to get the test results. In the meantime, what do we do? "
The masks for the school environment? Are they already ordered?
This is also another big question being asked We need a plan, "and things are urgent" because the start of the school year is very close, says president of the Federation of Education Unions (FSE).
If there is a COVID-19 outbreak in a school, will the affected classes be closed?
“At the moment, it's on a case-by-case basis. This will be part of the emergency protocol" Ms. Landry political advisor in the office of the Minister of Education said that it is Public Health that will determine it.
From Kindergarten to Secondary III, "the students will always stay together, in closed groups," she adds.
In secondary 4 and 5, two options are on the table. "Either we go back to 100%, but review the optional courses to make sure the groups remain small and do not alternate. Otherwise, we can allow as many lessons as possible, but have an alternating schedule with part of the lessons being done remotely. "
Minister Roberge said in an interview last week that in the event of a second wave, it is possible that students will be withdrawn from classes for two weeks but there is no plan to close the schools. Even in the event of a two week closure classes will be given on the website of the Ministry of Education, there is no longer any question of remote schooling.
Whatever the date of the start of the school year, some unknowns will weigh heavily. Certainly the safety of children and teachers alike must be taken very seriously,
Here is are some details we are sure of
- Students will stay together in the same premises
- They will be separated into sub-groups of six groups inside which they should stay one meter apart.
- Hands should be washed at the start and end of the day.
- Hands should also be washed before and after meals, and after breaks
- Schedules will be changed to reduce the number of students entering and leaving at the same time.
- School play grounds will be accessible.
- Service centers (former school boards) will have tablets or computers distributed to students who need them.
- No more than 48 students may be in the same school bus, at the rate of 2 per bench