WINNIPEG – The Manitoba government says exams for the province’s more than 14,000 Grade 12 students that were expected to happen in June are now off the desk. In a letter to school superintendents and principals, Manitoba Education says, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many students are using a mix of remote and in-class learning – and there’s a chance that some schools could transition back to full-time virtual learning environments at some point. The department says having a provincial test in today’s learning environment raises concerns around data accuracy and fairness for all students.

The province says suspending the tests in June 2021 will help teachers focus on teaching in a context that can present challenges to student well-being and mental health. The Manitoba Teachers’ Society and the Federation of Canadian Secondary Students both say they fully support decisions to cancel provincial exams. The province also took out Grade 12 provincial testing that had been scheduled for January 11 through 28 in response to challenges around teaching and learning in the midst of a pandemic.