7 new cases in Manitoba; schools to stay closed longer due to COVID 19 concerns

By The Canadian Press

WINNIPEG _ The Manitoba government is closing elementary, junior high and high schools indefinitely due to COVID-19.

It comes as the province announced seven new cases of the novel coronavirus Tuesday afternoon. Three infected Manitobans are in the hospital and two of the three are in ICUs.

The province originally planned a three-week shutdown of schools that was to end April 13, but Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen said schools will stay closed for the remainder of the academic year unless health officials say they can be reopened.

Assignments and learning are to continue as teachers work remotely and students won’t see their marks drop from where they were on the last day of class in March, Goertzen said.

“Marks for all students will be baselined. They’ll essentially be held at where they were on the last day of regular classes or exams,” he said Tuesday.

“But students will be expected to continue learning during this in-school class suspension. They will have the opportunity to increase their mark through their additional learning.”

Grade 12 final exams are to be cancelled, but all students who were set to graduate when classes were called off will do so, Goertzen added

Manitoba already has an online program for high school students called Informnet, which offers all core courses and a limited number of optional credits. Remote learning for younger students will be a bit more difficult, Goertzen said.

Grant Doak, deputy education minister, said teachers are to engage with students and their parents to ensure kids continue to follow the curriculum.

“The expectation is, as much as possible, that learning will continue,” Doak said.

There may be job losses because of the school closures, the government admitted, but some workers such as educational assistants will be redirected to help Grade 12 students finish their year.

Opposition NDP Leader Wab Kinew said the Progressive Conservative government should guarantee all jobs.

“Every person who works in a school or child-care centre plays a role in our students’ education, from teachers … to bus drivers. Now is not the time for job cuts or layoffs,” Kinew said in a written statement.

The government has also decided to close non-essential businesses–including bars, salons and many retail stores–starting on Wednesday and lasting until at least April 14.

There are many exemptions to the forced closures, including grocery and liquor stores, gas stations, banks, manufacturers, agricultural operations and public transit.

Manitoba had recorded 96 confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases as of Monday and health officials expect the numbers will continue to climb.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 31, 2020

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