The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and Unions representing school staff voiced their concerns over the past week in regards to school resuming to in-person learning after the New Year in Saskatchewan.

Today (wed), Saskatchewan Education Minister, Dustin Duncan said the province the province is taking a “layered” approach to ensuring Saskatchewan classrooms are safe as students return to their desks from the holiday break.

“Masking, access to rapid tests, increased sanitation, cohorting and encouraging all students and staff who are sick to stay home. As students return to class this week, families are encouraged to use rapid tests that are widely available throughout the province to again further reduce the risk of transmission in schools.”

The Teachers’ Federation was hoping the SaskParty government would delay school for two days after the New Year.

Since the provincial government updated its guidelines last week with asymptomatic, fully vaccinated individuals not having to receive a PCR test to confirm a rapid test, the SaskParty government is making changes to how positive cases are reported in schools.

Positive tests from either a PCR test or a rapid antigen test have to be notified to the local school office. The school will then responsible for contacting parents and guardians of the class and or bus cohort who may be considered close contacts.

Duncan says in-person learning is important to students’ mental and physical development.

“This means if either a student or a school-based staff member tests positive for COVID either by a rapid antigen test or a PCR test, they are asked to notify their local school office that they have tested positive for COVID.”

Students who are close contacts to cases in non-household settings and are not fully vaxxed will still be able to attend school, take the bus and attend child care as long as they’re asymptomatic.

For the 10-day self-monitoring period, they won’t allowed to attend any extra-curricular activities.

Most jurisdictions across Canada pushed back the return of in-person learning for the New Year or decided to switch back to remote learning.

(CJWW | Photos: Government of Saskatchewan)