BC education recovery plan welcomed with open arms

A whopping $43.6 million in funding has been announced to support the safe re-opening of K-12 for the 2021/2022 school year.

From the $43.6 millions in funding, $14.4 million will be directly available for school districts to provide the proper cleaning and disinfecting supplies for caretakers, improved ventilation, and the restocking of PPE to protect from COVID-19.

“We are extremely proud of the work our members have done throughout the pandemic to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our schools, to protect students, fellow staff and our communities,” says Paul Simpson, president of the K-12 Presidents Council. “It is gratifying to see the efforts of school support workers recognized as an essential part of our province’s recovery from COVID-19.”

In the past the BC government almost eliminated daytime custodial services in schools, which resulted in a scramble when COVID-19 infiltrated the schools districts.

“Thankfully, our efforts to re-establish daytime custodial services contributed greatly to cleaner and safer environments for students, staff, and helped slow the spread of COVID-19,” says Simpson.

“I’m optimistic we have all learned this lesson from the pandemic and we can work to continue daytime custodial services permanently to keep protecting our communities from COVID-19 and a host of other illnesses.”