N.W.T. schools recommended to close until after Easter

All schools in the Northwest Territories have been recommended to close until after Easter Monday on April 13, Premier Caroine Cochrane said in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

Most schools began March break last Friday.

School districts have authority to close their schools, not the territorial government.

There were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the N.W.T. as of Monday morning, said Cochrane.

She said the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment made the decision based on advice from the chief public health officer.

Later today, Minister R.J. Simpson will convene a teleconference with all district education authorities to "discuss this direction and how best to support school teachers staff and students as they return from spring break travel," said Cochrane.

"As we prepare for this pandemic, the health and safety of our people is paramount," she said.

Diane Thom, the minister of Health and Social Services, said the chief public health officer is not currently advising the closure of day homes or daycares.

Earlier Monday, the Nunavut government announced that all of its schools would be closed for three weeks starting Tuesday.

Alberta, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Quebec are also closing schools across their jurisdictions. Ontario announced schools would remain closed for two weeks following its March break, and Manitoba will close schools around its break for three weeks, starting March 23.