In addition to the ban on schools mandating masks on students, the government also made a rule that requires schools to always have the option for in-person learning for grades 1 to 12.

However, kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classes would be excluded from the in-person school rules and other schools in sensitive settings such as hospitals. 

In a statement, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said “Parents and students have told me time and time again that they want a normal school environment for their kids,”.

Premier Smith stated that the new regulation will “enhance educational choice”.

“In recent months, parents have approached our office with uncertainty and questions, concerned that their child’s education may once again be impacted by transitions to at-home learning”, Alberta Education Minister Adriana LaGrange wrote in a letter.

Education Minister LaGrange said these regulations “will ensure parents can continue to work to support their families without the added burden of finding and paying for childcare during the school day” if schools were to switch back to online-only learning.