The Premier says he understands that some parents and teachers may be anxious about their children returning to school next month.
However, John Horgan says right now the plan is to start the school year on time on September 8, but he hinted that could be altered if the circumstances change between now and then.
“Going back to class in September will be an unprecedented challenge but I am as confident as I can be based on the information I have today that every effort to get this right is being made,” he said on Thursday.
Horgan called for people to be more ‘flexible’ ahead of the school return this year, and he is appealing for people to work together to address their concerns.
“I know that this is the biggest challenge that the education community has ever had in a hundred years. We have not had to experience going back to school in September during a global pandemic,” he added.
“I know there’s anxiety within the workforce, within the parent community, and even with some children. Of course, this is a very stressful time.”
A number of parents are worried about a lack of physical distancing in schools given the size of the learning cohorts of 60 people for elementary and middle school kids, and 120 for secondary school children, as well as a requirement to not wear masks.
Horgan says he is confident that the province is taking all the right steps to prepare for schools to reopen safely.
“The vast majority of people want to make sure we get this right and if it takes a few more days so be it. But, today, we are focused on starting the school year as we have planned, making sure that we have provisions in place to protect workers, to protect children, and to make sure that we get a safe a start as possible,” Horgan said, noting what happens in the next 30 days before the start of the school year will be critical.
“What happens 30 days after we open is critical as well. But we have to take that first step to get that journey started. The first few days of the year of school is always a time of flux, and I know that community leaders in the education sector will be focused on that to make sure that children are safe and that the people that work in schools are safe.”
Both the B.C. Teachers Federation and the B.C. Principals and Vice-Principals Association are in favour of pushing back the start of school if it means more time to safety prepare for the school year.
In announcing its return to school plan, the province committed $45.6 million to help school districts bring in additional safety measures like increased cleaning of high-contact surfaces and more hand-washing stations.
