Saskatchewan premier defends back-to-school plan as adaptable to concerns

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This article was published 17/08/2020 (2255 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

REGINA – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says concerns about his government’s back-to-school plan are similar to those raised when businesses and services reopened in the province after being shuttered because of COVID-19.

On Monday, Moe appeared at his first press conference since he started facing criticism from some parents, teachers and doctors about the plan to reopen schools in September.

Many have said they’re worried because the province isn’t mandating masks, ensuring better air flow in schools or reducing class sizes.

“When we reopened the retail sector of our economy – things like restaurants – there was concern and questions across our communities,” Moe said at the legislature.

“We should expect that there are many questions that are being asked when we reopen our schools here this fall.”

Over the weekend, Moe pushed back the school start date a few days to Sept. 8.

He also announced $40 million from a $200-million fund established to respond to the pandemic will be diverted to school divisions to ensure classrooms are safe.

Of that money, $20 million is earmarked for pandemic-related costs like staffing and sanitation supplies, which districts will have to apply to access. Another $10 million will pay for improving distance-learning options, with the remaining $10 million going to the Ministry of Education to buy personal protective equipment for schools.

Moe said the government’s plan is meant to be adaptable to people’s concerns and he believes public discussion about it will lead to a safe return for students and staff.

There is no manual on how to do this, and politics isn’t at play, Moe added.

“Nothing has changed. No time has been lost. The work has been occurring throughout the summer,” he said.

“It’s a very large sector of our community — to send 180,000 kids back to schools across this province.”

Leaving school divisions in charge of developing their own more detailed safety plans is the right choice, Moe said, adding local leaders are in the best position to decide what their specific schools need.

The premier said school divisions are also encouraged to reduce class sizes, but that’s only one of the protective measures available to schools.

Some of the $40 million could be spent on additional staff in exceptional circumstances to reduce capacity, the government said.

Moe also said his government has previously paid for school renovations, which include upgraded ventilation systems.

Opposition NDP Leader Ryan Meili said the Saskatchewan Party government’s announcement Monday wasn’t about making schools safe. It showed the government is in “damage control,” following three previous press conferences and loud criticism about the plan, he said.

He said the premier also hasn’t apologized for causing stress to families with his government’s back-to-school approach, and is now leaving them to find child care because the school start date has changed.

Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, said classrooms won’t see as much mixing of people as restaurants do and they will have multiple safety precautions in place.

Public health officials reported one new case of COVID-19 on Monday. Of a total 1,581 cases, 172 are believed to be active.

Moe said 113 of those cases are on Hutterite colonies. He said the province’s transmission rate of COVID-19 remains low, even as restaurants, retail stores and other services continue to operate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2020

— By Stephanie Taylor