TORONTO - Students across Ontario begin online learning today, more than three weeks after COVID-19 shuttered schools in the name of physical distancing.
Teachers will lead the effort with both live and pre-recorded lessons, but the move poses challenges nonetheless.
The Ministry of Education has said that e-learning cannot fully replace the in-class experience, so the goal is to help students continue their education as much as possible during the pandemic.
And Education Minister Stephen Lecce is asking parents to help the youngest of students through the transition, even as many are working from home.
The president of the Ontario Public School Boards' Association, meanwhile, has said school boards have been hearing from parents in recent weeks that they need help teaching their children at home.
Cathy Abraham said every board in the province has been crafting a local plan to address the needs of students who may not have access to the internet, computers or tablets, or whose parents may not have time to oversee their schooling.