Ontario high schools have been allowed to revert back to regular semesters. The change is expected to come into effect around February. However, school boards can make the change sooner if they have their local public health unit’s support.
The news came through an announcement made by the Education minister Stephen Lecce today.
“Recognizing the high rates of immunization among youth in our secondary schools, I’m proud to announce that secondary schools will resume a regular timetable model of four courses a day starting in Term 2,” Leece said.
It will be the first since the start of the pandemic that the secondary students will return to a normal schedule. The change will see the students move away from “modified semesters,” under which students take four courses each term, alternating which two classes they had each week.
BREAKING: Ontario high schools can return to normal in second semester, with four courses a day. #onted #onpoli
The modified semester (two courses one week, and another two the next week) and one-course at-a-time octomester, causing alot of frustration https://t.co/Gh9tKJPOkg https://t.co/KZCwWbnkYU— Kristin Rushowy (@krushowy) November 18, 2021
Health Canada is expected to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine tomorrow for its use in kids in the age group five to eleven. On that, Leece said that it will take time to get the vaccination rate high in that age group.
Health Canada is set to approve the Pfizer COVID vaccine for children. @libaanstar1 has the details on what you need to know.
Read the full story here: https://t.co/lE5fxTv088 pic.twitter.com/osPkwyzEn7
— Toronto Star (@TorontoStar) November 18, 2021
The province also announced a winter testing plan for schools, which will see students return home for the December break with five rapid antigen COVID-19 tests apiece. Around 11 million tests will be distributed in December to all publicly funded schools.
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