GN releases 2021-22 Opening Plan for Nunavut Schools

Press Release

Iqaluit, Nunavut – The Department of Education in collaboration with Nunavut’s Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO), today released the 2021-22 Opening Plan for Nunavut Schools.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we have learned how to adapt to a new reality living and working together,” said Minister of Education, David Joanasie. “The 2021-2022 Opening Plan for Nunavut schools supports students, families, school leaders and their teams by providing the necessary plan for health and safety tools during this next phase. The plans will help mitigate the risks of introduction and spread of the virus in our schools, and ensure a smooth transition and the ongoing education of our young Nunavummiut.”

Nunavut schools are grounded in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and will continue to be safe, supportive, and inclusive environments. The health and safety decisions related to schools’ operations will be guided by the CHPO’s direction and will follow Nunavut’s Path approach and related public health measures.

As part of the opening plan, the Department of Education has also developed the Learning to Be Together Again, the Health and Safety Guidelines for Nunavut Schools and the RESTORE School Toolkit. These resources focus on how Nunavut schools can adapt to the realities of COVID-19, and respond to future outbreaks on a community basis.

Instead of the four stages used in 2020-21, the following factors will determine the impact on school operations:

• The status of COVID-19 in each community, including the transmission of COVID-19 variants.
• Healthcare capacity to respond to COVID-19 in a community.
• Public health capacity to test, trace and isolate cases.
• Vaccine coverage within specific age groups, schools and communities.

For more information and to read the 2021-22 Opening Plan for Nunavut Schools go to: https://gov.nu.ca/education/information/2021-22-opening-plan-nunavut-sch….

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Media Contact:

Troy Rhoades
Acting Manager, Communications
Department of Education
867-975-5680
[email protected]

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