Concern clouds return to class for Outaouais teachers

Some teachers in western Quebec say they have serious concerns aboutthe province's decision to reopen elementary schools outside Montreal next month.

The Outaouais is among the regions set to reopen daycares and elementary schools on May 11, but onlyifhospitalizations from COVID-19 decline or remain stable acrossQuebec.

Suzanne Tremblay, president of the Syndicat de l'enseignement de l'Outaouais, said teachers in the region are concerned, confused and uncertain about details of the government's plan.

"First of all, we need to have very clear protocolsin terms of hygiene. There needs to be protective material for teaching personnel. I think teachers need to have access to that material, need to be protected," Tremblay said in a French-language interview with Radio-Canada on Monday.

Quebecs plan to get some kids back to school

4 years ago

Duration 2:01

The Quebec government has unveiled plans to get some students back in the classroom by the end of May.

Schools need to have adequate supplies of disinfectant, gloves and masks, she said.

Tremblay also said there need to be clear directives about what will happen once a student or teacher gets sick with COVID-19.

Plan to limit class sizes

QuebecEducation MinisterJean-Francois Roberge said planning is underway with principals and front-line staff on how reopening will unfold.

Any student who becomes sick would be pulled from classand authorities would look at whether to close the school, Roberge said.

While classes would be limited tomaximum of 15 students and school buses to 24to help facilitate physical distancing, Tremblay said it's still not clear how that will work.

"Fifteen students in a class two metres apart is a challenge. [Classrooms]are small in the Outaouais," Tremblay said.

Manon Dufour, executive director of Commission scolaire des Draveursschool board, believes principals and staff will be able to make things work in time for the return to class.

"We're building the plane as it flies," she said. "I don't think we're going to do schools like we did two months ago. Things are going to change, but I think we're going to manage. We have good [adaptation] capabilities."

Dufour said her board will be using lessons learned from running emergency child-care centres for essential workers during the pandemic.

"We had seven schools that had [emergency child-care centres] and we were able to do it with reminders," she said.

The education minister said teachers who are older than 60 or have health conditions that put them at particular risk won't have to return to class.

Parents in western Quebec are being urged to contact their children's schools at least a week ahead of reopening so principals, administrators and teachers know how many students are returning. Attendance is not mandatory during the pandemic.

No other schools in the province including high schools, cgeps and universities will reopen to students until at least late August.