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By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

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Mar 19, 2021 | 5:15 PM

Post-secondary students in Alberta can expect to be back in a regular classroom this fall.

Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said this week that’s the plan, and that it’s made possible given the province’s promise to have every adult in the province given at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of June.

“Over the past year, Alberta’s post-secondary institutions have adapted to the changing circumstances of the pandemic to protect students, staff and faculty. I want to express my gratitude to all faculty and staff members for their continued cooperation and hard work in keeping our campuses safe while still supporting students,” Nicolaides stated. “The switch to online learning has not been easy, but our staff and students have all done great work to respond to the pandemic and maintain the quality of our post-secondary system.”

The minister added his department is working closely with Alberta Health and Dr. Deena Hinshaw to ensure the return to campus life is done so safely.

Brittany Lausen, President of the Red Deer College Students’ Association, says students are eager to return to campus on a more regular basis.

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Some courses have been offered both in-person and virtually throughout the pandemic, she notes.

“This is a long-anticipated announcement. A lot of students are relieved and excited. I’ve heard there are students who’ve really struggled with online learning, and it’s not for everyone,” says Lausen. “When it’s your only option though, that can make it even tougher. A lot of students have been anticipating the fall 2021 announcement because it could determine whether they continue with school or maybe take a break.”

During the Students’ Association election, which took place this week, voters were asked about their feelings towards on-campus learning versus online education.

About 70 per cent said they preferred to be on-campus, so Lausen surmises the other three-out-of-ten have simply become used to and/or like the flexibility of studying online.

Dr. Peter Nunoda, RDC President, says the college has learned a great deal over the past year through adapting changes to its course delivery.

“As we look to the future, we will continue to support students in their learning, whether in-person or online, by ensuring they have choice in how they learn,” Nunoda says.

“The pandemic has created challenges for everyone, and there are still unknowns for the future. Given the learnings we’ve had, we’re ready to respond and to pivot, as needed, to serve our students and to help ensure the health and safety of the RDC community.”

The pandemic has also caused first-year enrolment to dip slightly, though RDC continues to accept applications for the next academic year. This is not a problem they alone have experienced, Nunoda points out.

“With the opportunity for more in-person learning, as well as more choice in whether to learn in-person or online, we are confident that we can provide students the educational pathways they need to reach their goals.”