Education minister directs schools to provide in-person classes during strike
Posted February 26, 2025 3:50 pm.
Alberta’s education minister says he has directed school divisions to make efforts to provide in-person learning options to all students as a support worker strike continues.
Around 6,000 workers, from educational assistants to cafeteria staff, have been on the picket lines in Edmonton, Calgary and Fort McMurray to fight for higher wages.
Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides had earlier ordered exemptions for schools from providing in-person learning to students with complex needs during the strike, but that order was blocked by a judge.
“A recent court ruling highlighted the need to expand the reach of any exemption order to ensure that resources are evaluated and distributed to ensure all students are considered, regardless of whether they require educational assistant support or not,” said Nicolaides.
“We have taken the court’s ruling very seriously and we will be making changes to the ministerial orders immediately. In-person learning is important for students’ success and mental well-being and Alberta’s government will continue to work with school partners to continue in-person learning during ongoing strikes.”
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He adds that the province has “taken steps to replace all ministerial exemption orders in effect with new exemption orders, inclusive of terms and conditions, which will direct school authorities” to the following:
- Evaluate and distribute all resources considering all students in an inclusive, equitable and fair manner.
- Make reasonable efforts to:
- Provide an in-person learning option to all students.
- Enable a student to continue with the same courses and education program if they switch to at-home learning.
- Communicate with parents and students regularly.
“Alberta’s government expects school boards to be in consistent and clear communication with students and parents during the ongoing strikes, and we continue to expect them to share details of their plans with their school communities as soon as they are able to do so,” said Nicolaides.
President of CUPE Local 3550 Mandy Lamoureux responded to the Minister’s statement by saying, “The statement from the Minister leaves school divisions with the burden of a strike that the provincial government is responsible for.”
Adding, “Rather than play games with the education of special needs students, the government should act to fix the problems caused by low wages for education support staff. Come to the bargaining table, end the strike, and let’s all get back to learning.”
A group of parents and guardians had taken the province to court over the previous order, saying more than 3,700 children are being discriminated against by not being allowed to attend classes in person.
Canadian Union of Public Employees president Rory Gill has said the minister’s order was unjust and cruel.
-With files from the Canadian Press
