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Post-secondary guidelines released in advance of fall term
By Hannah Scott, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
Published 11:05 PDT, Fri July 31, 2020
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University students throughout BC are preparing for a fall term that will look very different from usual.
The provincial government released the Go Forward Guidelines this week, which provide post-secondary institutions with guidance on how to safely continue providing services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines, which have been reviewed by the provincial health officer and WorkSafeBC, are available online.
“The public expects that our institutions are places of innovation, and our government expects that each of BC’s 25 post-secondary institutions follow the amended health order on mass gatherings by the provincial health officer,” says Advanced Education Minister Melanie Mark. “The clarification allows for more in-person course delivery to ensure that everyone in BC has access to educational opportunities as close to home as possible.”
For the fall term, education will be delivered using a variety of formats. Larger classes will be offered primarily through remote delivery, while in-person instruction may be delivered where health and safety permits. Some classes will use a blend of online and in-person instruction.
Each post-secondary institution must develop an individual COVID-19 safety plan. Individuals who use campus property should also assess themselves daily for symptoms of the virus.
Individual institutions’ plans can be found here.