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

JEREMY COCKRILL IS FORCING HEALTHCARE WORKERS TO A STRIKE VOTE — AND HIS OWN COMMUNITY WILL PAY THE PRICE

Pattern Of Failed Bargaining Attempts Mean Workers Leaving For Good And Putting System In Increasing Danger: Roy
NORTH BATTLEFORD – Carla Beck’s team is in Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill’s own riding today, calling him out for forcing 14,000 desperately needed healthcare workers to vote on a strike as they have gone four years without a contract.

CARLA BECK’S TEAM CALLS FOR ACTION TO SUPPORT SASKATCHEWAN PRODUCERS IN WAKE OF DAMNING REPORT ON PRODUCERS BEING SHORTED AND SQUEEZED

Agriculture Producers Association Of Saskatchewan Says Costs Rising, Farm Share Falling For Saskatchewan Producers
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team, while taking in Ag in Motion in Langham, is calling on Scott Moe and the Sask. Party to take action to improve the bottom line for producers.

THE SASK. PARTY CLAIMS ABOUT IMPROVING SAID PROGRAM DON’T MATCH THE REALITY OF CLIENTS WHO ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO GET BY

Scott Moe, Sask. Party Focused On Photo Ops & Political Spin While Those In Need Suffer
REGINA – Today, Carla Beck’s team is calling out the Sask. Party for their continual failures to provide sufficient support for SAID clients here in Saskatchewan.

POTENTIAL HEALTHCARE WORKER STRIKE ENTIRELY THE FAULT OF SCOTT MOE, JEREMY COCKRILL

Carla Beck’s Team Demands A Fair Deal For Frontline Workers After Four Years Without A Contract
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is laying the potential of a fall strike involving thousands of healthcare workers squarely at the feet of Scott Moe and his ignorant Health Minister — who seems to cause strikes everywhere he goes — and demanding immediate action to get to the bargaining table and deliver a fair deal.

NDP Caucus Office