TORONTO Schools in four other Ontario regions will be returning to in-person learning next week, the government confirms. In a statement released Thursday morning, Education Minister Stephen Lecce said that kids within Ottawa, Middlesex-London, and Southwestern and Eastern Ontario’s public health units will return to the classroom on Monday. 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,” Lecce said. According to the province, this means that 520,000 students are now able to continue their education in class.
Over 100,000 Ontario Students Return to Class Beginning Next week.
Today (Jan 20), Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, provided an update on which schools can resume for in-person learning, saying this:
“On the advice from the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the government is allowing seven public health units and over 100,000 students to return to class on Monday, January 25th.
Getting students back into class is our top priority. According to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and leading medical and scientific experts, including the Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario’s schools are safe places for learning.
To ensure schools remain safe, the government is introducing additional measures including provincewide targeted asymptomatic testing, enhanced screening, mandatory masking for students in Grades 1-3 and outdoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained.”
Only seven regions in southern Ontario will be allowed to return to in-class learning next week. This doesn t include schools in the London area, meaning online learning will continue until further notice.