With the possibility of a full walk out on Monday June 16th parents are concerned about whether their children will be able to write final exams, receive final report cards, and transition to the next grade or on to post-secondary.
The Ministry of Education wants to assure parents that every effort is being made to ensure the strike does not disadvantage students, nor delay their transition to the next grade or on to post-secondary education.
A full walkout may impact the last nine days of school before summer break begins on June 27th. Here is some information to give parents greater certainty about what to expect and the potential impact on their children:
What this means for students in Kindergarten through Grade 9:
- Schools will be closed.
- Parents with children who need supervision should make child care arrangements.
- Parents will receive final report cards, but in some cases the reports may be more abbreviated than normal.
What this means for students in Grades 10, 11 and 12:
- There are fifteen provincial exam courses scheduled between June 16 to 26
- It is expected that secondary schools will only be open for the purpose of administering exams.
- Picket lines may be present; students in rural areas may not have normal school bus service.
- Every effort will be made for provincial exams to be marked and final course marks conveyed to students and parents in a timely way.
- The government has applied to the Labour Relations Board to have all services required for the completion of report cards deemed essential including:
- preparing, invigilating and marking of school based and provincial exams; and
- compilation, entry, and submission of final grades.
What this means for graduating students planning to attend post-secondary in September:
- Most students planning to attend post-secondary programs in September are pre-admitted based on their current marks.
- B.C. post-secondary institutions are aware there is a chance that the strike might interfere with the normal flow of final student marks