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
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.