Manitoba students return to in-person learning today
Students and teachers returned to the classroom on Monday after a week of remote learning following the holiday break.
The remote learning period was required by the province so school divisions could beef up safety measures amid the surge of the Omicron variant.
There were mixed feeling among students and parents about returning to school.
"Quite anxious about her going back to school," one parent told CTV News.
"Worrisome but hopefully, hopefully things will go in a good direction," another parent said.
Some students are happy to be back as they have missed the social aspect of school, while others feel more focus should be put on the safety of students.
"I know they really want to get people back in school but it's important, like I said, to think of safety," said Chloe Robinson, who goes to River East Collegiate.
Some students decided to hold a walkout over the return to school as they want more safety measures in place and say remote learning should still be an option.
"The Omicron surge is going to come in two to three weeks and if we're all stuck in school, we'll fall ill and no one will have education," said Brie Villeneuve, a Grade 12 student at Grant Park High School.
But others felt the return to class is safe.
"I don't agree with (the walkout) because we've been online for quite a while now and it really affects my mental health and my ability to perform in school properly," said Lexus Mackenzie, another Grant Park student.
Like some of the students, teachers also have concerns over safety and worry about staff shortages.
"I know we have members out there who are worried in two, three, four days, they're going to be ill with COVID," said James Bedford who is the president of the Manitoba Teachers' Society.
A statement from Education Minister Cliff Cullen said a lot of work has been done to improve school safety, which includes distributing 700,000 rapid tests, an additional five million masks and ventilation improvements.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.