Yukon parents worry about internet costs during at-home high school

Some Whitehorse parents and caregivers are nervous about rising internet costs this fall, ashigh school students prepare for more at-home learning.

"I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to budget it," said Cindy Chiasson, who cares fortwo grandchildren in Whitehorse.

When in-class learning was suspendedthis past spring, Chiasson had to increase her internet package andbuy a new computer for her grandsons to share. As she struggles with the bills, Chiassonthinks families should get more financial support.

"We need something so we can cover the costs, because it's going to be atrocious," said Chiasson.

GeorginaWidney says her family's internetusage skyrockettedto $600 to$700 a monthduring the pandemic, as her two children streamed onlinelessons.She's worried about her daughter, a Grade 10 student at Porter Creek Secondary School, learning at home halftime.

This spring, "we couldn't keep up with the payments, " Widney said. Her family lives outside Whitehorse city limits,so Northwestel did not waive her internet overage fees.

According to a recent survey by the government ofYukon, almost 30 per cent of student respondentssaid they couldn't do video lessons during the pandemic because of internet problems.

When the new school year begins later this month, Grades 10 to 12 students in Whitehorse will only be in the classroom half of the day to help with safe spacing.Other Yukon students will be back in class full time.

In an email to parents, Porter Creek Secondary School officials saidteachers will use online tools like Google Classroom, Moodle, Microsoft Teams or their website when students are not in the classroom.

Deputy Education Minister Nicole Morgan said the government is working to ensure that internet access isn't a barrier this school year.Students can use school internet atsupervised study halls, she said.

Morgan says at-homelearning will not be the same as when schoolsshut down in March.

Teachers will be "maximizing" in-class instruction, Morgan said."We're not requiring any students to do online learning at this time," she said.

Outside of class, students"can be doing pre-reading for their lessons ... working onassignments," Morgansaid.

Education departmentspokesperson Kyle Nightingale saidteachers will work with students to "ensure they are able to complete their work in other ways" if they can't work online.

He said caregivers or students should let theirteacher or school principal know about any concerns.

Some parents have pushed backagainst the plan for half-day class for Whitehorse students in Grades 10 to 12, saying it may causeacademic, social and emotional consequences.

A Yukon government handoutsays parents should ensure their child "has access to devices, technology and internet away from school. If you do not have devices for your student to access, please discuss with your school when school resumes."

Northwestel is no longer waiving Internet overage fees like it did for some communities from March to June. However,the company haspermanently increased data caps atno extra costin all Yukon communitiesother than Old Crow. The customers who are already paying for larger packages receive a larger data increase.