Manitoba NDP pitches plan for safer schools as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations rise

The Manitoba NDP is calling on the provincial government to take five steps to ease the burden of remote learning and ensure schools are safe when students head back to class in a week.

"We want to see kids back to class in person, but of course it has to be safe to do so," NDPLeader Wab Kinewsaid ata newsconference on Monday.

"Government should be focused on doing whatever is possible to help kids succeed at home and at school, but the PCs are putting their political fortunes ahead of Manitoba families."

Kinew says the province should create a benefit for families to help cover the costs of at-home learning, which would help students access the technology they need. He proposes a minimum of $500 per child, with higher amounts available based on circumstances.

"This is money that would be provided to parents to use in the way they know best so they can ensure the safe return to school," Kinew said.

It could be used for a new device, subscription service, increasing their Wi-Fi access, or buyingrapid tests or medical grade masks.

WATCH | Proposal for at-home learning benefit:

Manitoba NDP proposes remote learning supports

3 years ago

Duration 1:14

Manitoba NDP leader Wab Kinew is calling on the province to support students learning at home.

"Whatever needs that your family has to get through this remote learning period and back into the classroom, we think it's important that government be there with some assistance," he said, adding that students may have to return to remote learning again during the pandemic.

Kinew wants to see the remote learning benefit delivered universally to all school-aged children and youth and estimates it would cost the province about $70 million, depending on uptake.

On Jan. 17, when in-school learning is set to resume, the NDP wants to see the following things done:

• Increasethe stock ofrapid tests and masks.
• Increase the amount of money spent onupgrading schools, including to improve ventilation systems in classrooms.
• Increase the amount of money spent on schools to provide sick pay coverage, more mental health counsellors and contracts for substitute teachers.
• Create a system to track andrecord rapid antigen test results, and the province should release data about infections so parents can assess the risk for their kids.

"We think this is a good plan, one that recognizes that COVID isn't over in a week. We're going to have these long-lasting ramifications, so here's some strategies we can use now that can help parents and families in the classroom," NDPeducation critic Nello Altomaresaid at the news conference.

Tories say they're already responding

The governing Progressive Conservative partysays it is already acting on the five recommendations.

It said500,000 rapid tests have been sent to Kindergarten to Grade 6 students and masks have been provided toschools. It also saidmoney has been set aside to improve ventilation and hire additional staffing. The province adds COVID infection data is already being provided.

The province didnot commit to providing a financial benefit to help with remote learning, but says it is already handling student technology needs by providingschool divisions with the money to buy those resources.

The NDP'sproposal comes after Manitoba reported 81more COVID-19 patients in hospital on Monday, bringing the total number of people hospitalized with the illness to 387. In addition, 19 more deaths were reported over the last three days.

Last week, the province announced in-school learning would be pushed backa week so school divisions could take the steps needed to keep schools safe.

At the time, officials said the province would spend up to $80 million in new education funding during thisschool year, some ofwhich will be for COVID-19-related expenses, while some willhelp pay for the new wage agreements for teachers that were reached recently.