March 16, 2021
Dear PSE Coordinators,
I hope you are all keeping well.
On Monday, March 8, 2021, Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC’s provincial health officer, issued a letter to the presidents of BC’s public post-secondary institutes advising them to prepare for a full return to on-campus teaching, learning and research in September 2021. The Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training, Anne Kang, also released a statement on the safe resumption of in-person learning in the fall. See the announcement.
We are sharing this information to keep you apprised of the current plan, keeping in mind that there is potential for changes between now and September.
The First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) recognizes the authority of communities to make their own decisions related to post-secondary education. Furthermore, we recognize that students may not be comfortable returning to in-person classes out of concern for their safety and the safety of their community.
We will be working to ensure that this is taken into consideration by the Ministry and public post-secondary institutions, and will advocate that requirements for institutions to accommodate the decisions of First Nations and First Nations learners be included in the Go-Forward Guidelines for B.C.’s Post-Secondary Sector.
FNESC will continue to support communities with resources and information as the situation evolves. For updates and resources, please visit www.fnesc.ca/covid19.
Please stay safe.