Alberta’s NDP has proposed new measures to ensure students are safe and protected when they return to the classroom as Omicron continues to spread.
The NDP said last week Education Minister Adriana LaGrange postponed students return to class until Jan. 10, but did not provide a plan for addressing staffing challenges or mitigating the risk of in-school transmission.
“Students have been sent home at least four times now with almost no notice, and many more times at some schools. This throws families into chaos every time,” said NDP Leader Rachel Notley.
“In order to reopen Alberta schools next week and keep them open safely through the school year, the government must do more than dump the problem onto school districts and hope for the best. We need action.”
Last week, LaGrange said the province will provide another update with further details this week.
The NDP propose greater public reporting, new mental health supports and increased focus on mitigating airborne spread of COVID-19 by installing High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) purifiers, and monitoring airflow through the use of carbon-dioxide detectors.
“The UCP’s record on school safety is very poor but we are determined to continue to propose steps that will keep students, staff and families safe, especially now as Omicron is proving to spread very aggressively,” said NDP education critic Sarah Hoffman.
Brandi Rai, president of the Alberta School Councils’ Association, said that if more support is provided to school boards, schools will be better able to support and maintain in-person learning.
“Well-funded education systems and health-care systems would mean that irrespective of the wave, irrespective of the variant, our systems would be stabilized and secure with sustainable processes so that our children can continue with in-person learning, safely, and our communities can continue to flourish,” Rai said.
The NDP’s six-point plan includes the following measures: