QUEEN’S PARK — Mike Schreiner released this statement after the Premier’s press conference:
“Instead of campaigning around the province, the Premier should be working with his Minister on a plan to reopen schools full-time in September.
It is unacceptable that seven weeks out from the start of the school year, parents, students and educators remain in the dark.
The government should be putting the pieces in place right now to get ready for a return to class in September, including hiring more teachers and support staff.
We should already be hearing about plans to utilize outdoor education and repurpose community centres and other local spaces to accommodate students safely.
I worry about all those vulnerable children whose literacy, mental health, and nutrition will only get worse without a plan for school to resume.
All signs point to a government that is not ready and that will pass the burden onto parents, teachers and local trustees to figure it out at the last minute. “