Some parents are admitting apprehension about allowing their children back into schools.

But, according to Steinbach MLA and Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen, some amount of risk is inevitable.

“Long before COVID-19 was in our memory we had risk in the world, and we made decisions to balance that risk,” explains Goertzen. “So, this isn’t actually any different, but it is a different kind of environment.”

Goertzen mentions high school students, many who make up much of the workforce in places the public frequents. “They work at our grocery stores, they’re working at our restaurants, they are in society generally, and so it’s not as though when they are in school that they’re going to be completely isolated.”

Despite that distinction, Goertzen does ask for determination in doing all that can be done to mitigate risk. “Brief contacts are expected, they are in society, and I think we know those brief contacts have pretty minimal risk,” says Goertzen citing the retail environment and passing another person in public.

The concern for parents lies in the expectation of children maintaining brief contact and how teachers would even be able to enforce it. Goertzen does admit to wanting clearer information and more child-specific guidelines.

“I know that there have been some questions about that and I think there needs to be more clarity.”

In regard to options, Goertzen lays out three he sees the province as having. “The options that really exist in Manitoba are public school, independent school, or homeschooling.”

Goertzen says a dual-class system where teachers provide specialized learning to students at home and in the school is not viable, and that he is expecting to see a higher absentee rate as children begin to get sick.

His solution for the latter is to prepare for the possibility now, suggesting parents call their friends and families and prepare a contingency plan for if their children fall ill.

“Preparation is really important this year more so than any other year,” says Goertzen. “In terms of whether your child should stay home, we’re working with public health to develop a clear guide for children in particular and what that means for that.”