After the latest update from the Education Minister today, I continue to be astounded by this government’s complete lack of planning for a safe return to schools.
The Minister of Education announced further potential measures that divisions might choose to enforce for the upcoming school year. Let us be clear: further guidance is badly needed, but the guidance they’ve provided so far is not nearly enough. Parents still do not know when, and under what conditions, mask use will be mandatory.
In response to the Sask. Party’s failure to present a viable back-to-school plan, NDP Education Critic Carla Beck called on the Sask. Party government and Education Minister Gord Wyant to reconvene the Human Services Committee to fix the return to school plan released by the province last week.
“I’m hearing from teachers and families who are confused and frustrated about this government’s complete failure to present a viable plan for the safe return to school,” said Beck. “People want a clear path forward, but the Premier, the SHA and the Ministry of Education can’t even agree who’s driving. That’s why we’re calling on the Sask. Party to convene the committee, to make the return to school as safe as possible.”
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Dr. Ryan Meili and MLA Doyle Vermette joined Justin Nyee, the uncle of Samwel Uko, to call on Health Minister Jim Reiter to accept responsibility on behalf of the provincial government for failing Samwel Uko, and to establish a public inquiry to examine the high rates of suicide that have been left unaddressed for too long.
“Minister Reiter needs to ensure that Saskatchewan families understand: what happened to Samwel must never happen again in our province,” said Meili. “Shockingly, this government seems far more concerned with managing the optics of their failure to prevent suicide in Saskatchewan than with actually doing something about it.”
“Today’s jobs numbers show that there are almost 29,000 fewer jobs in Saskatchewan than this time last year, and that our economy is in serious trouble.
“To secure our economic recovery and get people back to work, we need a real plan to reopen schools safely and keep them open.
NDP Leader Ryan Meili and Education Critic Carla Beck were joined by Lynne Saas, a former teacher and school administrator as well as Director of Education for Scenic Valley and Prairie Valley school divisions, to call for a real plan that supports immunocompromised students and school staff and fills the need for additional off-site spaces.
“This is the worst plan in Canada. We’re only weeks away from schools reopening and there’s no consistent plan or funding to keep the students at greatest risk safe,” said Meili. “It’s clear, that securing the off-site spaces that would help make this possible was not a government priority. School divisions are doing their best, but they have been let down by this Education Minister and this Premier.”
“It has been two days since the Minister of Education delivered the worst Return-to-School Plan in Canada. They’ve downloaded responsibility onto school divisions with no funding – and crucially no funding to reduce class sizes.
“Maybe that’s why instead of holding a briefing today (August 6, 2020) – contrary to past practice during the Covid-19 pandemic – the Sask. Party has instead put out a release with no press availability, no minister quoted and no accountability.