It appears that college and university students in British Columbia will be returning to the classroom this fall.
The provincial government announced Monday afternoon that it has advised the presidents of all public colleges and universities to “prepare for a full return” to on-campus education in September.
“I encourage students and families to start planning for in-person instruction on a campus of their choice in September,” said Anne Kang, minister of advanced education and skills training, in a press release.
The announcement comes after Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, recommended that post-secondary schools return to safe in-person learning this coming fall.
“This year has been incredibly hard, and I’ve heard from many students, faculty and staff who are eager to return to campus when it is safe,” said Kang.
The province says it is currently developing safety guidelines for post-secondary schools so that they can reopen in time for the fall semester.
“The guidelines will provide high-level guidance to post-secondary institutions for a safe resumption of on-campus learning. Institutions will then work with their local medical health officer and WorkSafeBC to develop more detailed safety plans for each institution,” said Kang.
While many students and staff may be feeling nervous, the advanced education minister said their safety is the province’s “top” priority.
“I also know some people will be feeling nervous,” Kang added. “Your safety is our top priority. At every step, we’re going to be working with Dr. Henry and all our partners to make sure the right measures are in place to keep people safe.”
CHEK News
