REGINA — With just two weeks before students and teachers head back to the classroom this fall, several voices in Saskatchewan are calling for more involvement from the provincial government to equip schools with a safe return plan that includes vaccination.
Opposition critic for education Carla Beck said during a press conference Monday that not enough direction has been provided by public health officials or the Ministries of Health and Education to school divisions as they develop safety policies for the return to in-classroom learning this year.
“Parents, students, and teachers all deserve to start the school year confident that a plan is in place to keep our students safe and to keep everyone in our schools safe,” said Beck.
Students under the age of 12 are not currently eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, leaving a large number of those headed back into schools in September vulnerable to transmission, say advocates.
The 2021-22 Safe Schools Plan, released at the end of July, said that schools will “proceed as during pre-pandemic years” this fall. Schools are not currently required to implement masking, physical distancing, or other COVID-related restrictions seen last year.
Decisions to do so will be at the discretion of individual school divisions, and public health officers are to be working closely with school boards in the province to address COVID safety concerns personally, says the plan.
No vaccination requirements have yet been laid down by the ministry, for either staff or students.
“If the vaccination rate is high in parents, families, friends and educators, that indirectly protects children ages 11 and under,” says the Safe Schools Plan.
Beck and the NDP said that the current plan falls short, lacking details that are necessary for the safety of students. She also said it leaves too much of the decision-making to school divisions with not enough support being provided by public health.
“To hand this responsibility off to local boards without the information they need, I think that is unfair,” said Beck.
She said that school divisions have shared that they are receiving conflicting information from their public health officers, and are seeking more direction from the Ministry of Health.
According to national data, Saskatchewan currently has the highest test-positivity rate in Canada, at 6.8 per cent — more than double the national average — and has been on the rise through August.
Saskatchewan is also noted to have the slowest uptake of vaccines for both first and second doses in the nation, said Beck.
Paired with rising concerns about the spread of the Delta variant, which is reported to be largely affecting a younger demographic, the NDP are questioning whether enough protective measures will be in place for the fall.
Opposition wants to see vaccination made mandatory for all staff and students who are eligible, as well as a more detailed update on what thresholds will trigger masking, testing and remote learning procedures.
The NDP are also calling for more clear and consistent information from the two ministries to be made available to the public, including for parents and other organizations that work with children outside of school divisions.
Similarly, the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation also made a plea for mandatory vaccination of teachers and students yesterday, in the interest of providing safe learning environments.
“Students under 12 are still unvaccinated and are at risk of contracting the Delta strain at higher rates,” said the STC statement. “Ensuring everyone who is eligible is fully vaccinated helps protect our youngest students and vulnerable adults.”
The Saskatchewan Medical Association also released a statement today, urging school divisions to mandate vaccination and other protection measures, like masking, in schools.
Premier Scott Moe has said that the provincial government will be releasing additional guidelines addressing those ineligible for a vaccine, including children under 12, sometime next week.
