Saskatchewan NDP leader Ryan Meili and Education Critic Carla Beck are calling on the Saskatchewan government to create a coordinated plan to keep students and staff safe in schools. This comes as COVID-19 numbers continue to rise rapidly in the province, including amongst school-aged children.
Specifically, the NDP is suggesting the government should:
● Introduce provincial coordination of the movement between COVID-19 levels, instead of leaving the decision to school divisions who are facing extraordinary pressures;
● Have a detailed account of the plans for outstanding schools money, including the remaining $37.5 million in funding on the table for the federal government;
● Rule out any clawback of funding to school divisions based on enrollment in this pandemic year;
● Dedicate COVID-19 testing and tracing capacity for schools and daycares;
● Work with employers and others to ensure work-from-home protocols are established in order to assure a smooth transition should home-learning be necessary in Saskatchewan in the coming months.
During an online conference on Monday, Meili said it’s incredibly important for the government to take real action and make sure schools can stay open during a second wave.
“We need this government to be honest and clear with the people of Saskatchewan,” stated Meili. “Share modelling numbers that they have had for weeks, tell us what is coming, take action and work alongside the experts.”
Education Critic Carla Beck noted how there has been a 823 per cent increase in the number of COVID-19 positive tests among youth from early October to the beginning of November.
“Schools across the province, and we’ve heard from teachers and health experts alike, have said this is something that urgently needs to be addressed,” shared Beck. “As we see case numbers spike, we think it’s really important to draw attention to the measures that need to be in place now.”
Beck also said the test positivity rate for youth has grown from 1.5 per cent to 5.2 per cent from October to November.
The government is currently considering additional public health measures on top of the announcement that was made on Friday, November 13.
An announcement from Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Tuesday.
