The Minister of Education has suspended all classroom learning indefinitely, which could mean schools will be closed “for some time” given the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, he said in a news conference Tuesday.
The Richmond School District confirmed this means schools will not re-open as scheduled on March 30, and all other instructional programs are cancelled as well.
"The district will continue to provide updates as they become available," read a statement from the district. "We ask for your patience as we await more details and confirm next steps."
The school district has been working on contingency plans.
The minister, Rob Fleming, said school districts are looking at how learning can move online, but emphasized that this will be different for primary, intermediate and secondary students.
Grade 12 students will be able to graduate, however, he added.
Fleming pointed out 99 per cent of all schools in the province are closed, but some are still operating.
In Richmond, the superintendent closed Spul’u’kwuks elementary, an alternative-calendar school, as of Tuesday almost two weeks before it was supposed to go on spring break.
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