NDP says return to class puts politics over the safety of kids

As more kids across Saskatchewan head back to school on Tuesday, the NDP says the return to the classrooms is a mistake.

Leader Ryan Meili and Education Critic Carla Beck called on the Saskatchewan Party to delay the return to school for one week and create a comprehensive Omicron strategy.

“It’s beyond comprehension that the premier refuses to learn from his fourth wave failures. He’s given up,” Meili said in a news release.

“Not only is he actively downplaying the real threat and endangering our health-care system by doing nothing but he’s also putting the safety of our kids at risk. Let me be clear — letting Omicron run wild in our schools will lead to our health-care system being overrun and lives being needlessly lost. Once again, this premier is choosing politics, not the health of the people he represents.”

Despite posting record daily case numbers, Saskatchewan remains the only province in Canada to not delay the resumption of the school year.

The NDP’s calls for a pause on in-person learning came the same day Ontario did so as part of sweeping new measures to curb the surge in cases in that province.

“If Minister (Dustin) Duncan thinks his do-nothing plan is better than steps taken by every other Education Minister in the country, he should come out of hiding and defend it,” Beck said in the release.

“The reality is the Sask. Party’s plan to send thousands of kids back to school with no additional funding, public health measures, PPE or tests is one that’s doomed to fail.”

Saskatchewan New Democrats are also calling for the Education Response Planning Team to be reconvened and for additional funding be provided for divisions for additional PPE and facility upgrades to limit transmission in schools.

The provincial government said it will be sending 250,000 rapid tests to schools across Saskatchewan, as well as medical-grade surgical masks.

School divisions across the province issued letters to parents asking them to keep kids home who are not feeling well and to consider using rapid antigen tests before sending kids to school.