Premier Ford announces that schools will not be reopening on May 4

“School will not be going back on May 4th and (Education Minister Stephen Lecce) will be talking further on this in the next couple of days,” he said to reporters on Tuesday. “That does not mean the year is cancelled.”

This announcement follows a vote by Ontario legislators in favour of pushing Ontario’s emergency declaration an additional 28 days. Emergency orders will now continue until May 12 or later according to CP24 News.

This is the province's second time extending the date to reopen schools which have been closed since March 13.

A “teacher-directed instruction” has been introduced by the province and will be electronically delivered.

Students from kindergarten up to 6th grade are receiving five hours of work every week while 7th and 8th graders are getting 10 hours through the virtual education plan put in place by the Ford government. Students in secondary school are given three hours of work per course.

It is not yet clear whether Ontario has a specific return date yet.

Private schools and child care centres also will not reopen until May 12 at the earliest.