Official Opposition Calls For Stronger Actions To Save School Year And Get Kids Back In School

REGINA – Today Carla Beck, Official Opposition Critic for Education, sent the Minister of Education Dustin Duncan a letter urgently calling on the government to prioritize – with actions rather than words – keeping schools open, keeping staff and students in the schools safe, and getting community transmission under control.

“They need a plan. It’s become painfully obvious that the ‘sit and wait’ approach this government has taken, rather than implementing proactive science-based measures, is not working,” said Beck. “This pandemic has already taken an immense toll on students and widened the disparities between them. This government needs to do something to ensure we get VoCs under control so that we can get students and teachers back into the classroom and save the rest of the school year.”

Variants of Concern have begun to spread rapidly, forcing more and more school divisions online. This has caused concerns among parents and teachers about the lack of resources accessible to students and families as they shift back to remote learning.

The Official Opposition is urging the Minister and this Sask. Party government to:

Work with school divisions to identify students who do not have access to online learning tools, provide additional support and resources as needed.
Work with the Minister responsible for SaskTel to ensure immediate access to internet for all students and staff in the province.
Use the Easter Break and subsequent weeks of online learning to finally get rapid testing off the ground.
Work with Public Health officials to reassess the Safe Schools Plan to ensure it is adequate in mitigating risks from Variants of Concern.
Work across ministries to ensure that children who have additional and complex needs receive the supports that they need while away from their classrooms and in-school supports.
Expand access to timely mental health supports to youth and school staff.

-30-

Latest posts

KEVIN WEEDMARK REFUNDS TAXPAYERS FOR JOURNALISM GRANT HIS PAPER RECEIVED

KEVIN WEEDMARK REFUNDS TAXPAYERS FOR JOURNALISM GRANT HIS PAPER RECEIVED The Moosomin-Montmartre MLA Continues Hiding From Media As Questions Grow

REGINA – Today, more questions about embattled MLA Kevin Weedmark have been raised following the release of an article from Grasslands News about his privately owned and operated newspaper, The World Spectator.

BRIGHTON RESIDENTS LEFT IN THE DARK: CARLA BECK'S TEAM CALLS OUT MLA KEN CHEVELDAYOFF OVER PHANTOM SCHOOLS

SASKATOON— Carla Beck's team, joined by local Brighton resident Dr. Sarah Chomicki, is calling on Scott Moe to fulfill his government's broken promises and immediately get to work on a neighborhood school for the rapidly growing community of Brighton.

NEW DATA SHOWS THAT SASKATCHEWAN HAS THE HIGHEST CHILD FOOD BANK USAGE IN CANADA

Beck Commits To School Nutrition Program, Doing All She Can To End Child Poverty
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is sounding the alarms on new data showing more children in Saskatchewan are forced to rely on the food bank than anywhere else in Canada.

CARLA BECK GOVERNMENT WOULD RESTORE DIRECT-TO-LANDLORD RENT PAYMENTS AS MOOSE JAW FACES RISING HOMELESSNESS

More Affordable Housing, Rent Control Also Part Of Plan Being Developed By Beck’s Team
MOOSE JAW – Carla Beck’s team is in Moose Jaw today committing that, should they form the next provincial government, her team will restore direct-to-landlord rent payments for Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) and Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) clients.

NDP Caucus Office