Elementary and high school students in the London area will head back to class next week.
The Ontario government announced Thursday that in-person learning at schools in the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board, as well as local French school boards, will resume Monday, February 1 for elementary students. High schools students at both boards will return to class on Thursday, February 4 to coincide with the start of Quadmester Three.
"On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, with the support of the local Medical Officers of Health, and with the introduction of additional layers of protection, 280,000 students in four public health regions will return to class on Monday, February 1," a statement from Education Minister Stephen Lecce said.
In its announcement, the province said it agrees with those in the medical community who say having students learning in class is essential to their wellbeing, development, and mental health. It added that, according to Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and others, Ontario schools are safe places for learning.
Students in areas served by the Ottawa Public Health Unit and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit will also return to class on Monday.
"In the fall, we introduced one of the most comprehensive back-to-school plans in the country with strict health and safety measures," Lecce said. "As more students and staff return to in-person learning, we are building on our plan by introducing stronger masking protocols to include grades 1-3, expanding access to targeted asymptomatic testing, and implementing stricter screening protocols."
However, the opposition at Queen's Park says the Ford government needs to do better to protect students, teachers, and staff at schools. In a statement released after Lecce's announcement, NDP Education critic Marit Stiles said the government still has not done enough.
"Minister Lecce announcing a resumption of in-person classes at a number of Ontario school boards without announcing vital safety measures of a 15-student cap on class sizes, better and safer ventilation in classrooms, a comprehensive asymptomatic testing strategy for students and paid sick day for all workers just doesn't cut it," Stiles said. "Many parents and students are eager to see a return to in-person learning, but without proper safety measures from Doug Ford, we're at risk of more illness and future school closures. Announcing more school returns with zero additional safety measures is a recipe for more illness and further spread of the virus. As Sick Kids and numerous health experts have advised, schools in Ontario must be made safer to curb the spread of the virus. The government must do better to protect our kids and educators."
