Ministry of Education

INFORMATION BULLETIN
K-12 operational guidelines set requirements for masks

VICTORIA – School districts have received updated operational guidelines to help ensure a consistent province wide approach to keep schools safe for all students, teachers and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the updated health and safety guidelines, masks will be required for staff, middle and secondary students in high traffic areas such as buses and in common areas such as hallways, or anytime outside of their learning group whenever physical distancing cannot be maintained.

Exceptions will be made for students who cannot wear masks for medical reasons. The guidelines also cover the key components of delivering K-12 education during the pandemic, including curriculum, report cards, supports for students with disabilities/diverse abilities, and finance and operations.

Even when wearing a mask, staff and students will still be required to maintain physical distance from people outside of their learning group. Efforts will be put in place to ensure there is not crowding, gathering or congregating of people from different learning groups in a school setting, even if non-medical masks are being worn. Schools will also ensure non-medical masks are available for staff if someone should become ill while at school.

In order to support staff and students to meet this expectation, the ministry is providing additional funding to school districts that will support the purchase of up to 1.5 million masks, enough for every public-school staff member and student to have at least two masks.