Manitoba's Minister of Education Kelvin Goertzen says that students will continue to learn, but it won't be happening in school buildings for the time being.

The press conference is being live streamed below:

Goertzen says that "Today, following the advice of Manitoba's Chief Provincial Public Health Officer, we are announcing that Manitoba's K-12 schools will have their in-school classes suspended indefinitely for this school year."

Goertzen says that if the Public Health Officer determines that schools are safe to reopen before the conclusion of the school year "then we would eagerly welcome our students back."

Marks hold steady, no provincial exams

"Marks for all students will be baseline," Goertzen says, meaning whatever a students marks were at the suspension of in-school classes is where they will remain. "But students will be expected to continue learning during this in-school class suspension."

Goertzen says students will also have the opportunity to increase their marks through additional learning.

When it comes to grade 12 provincial exams, Goertzen says that they are cancelled. "They would not be a meaningful measure of a student's effort for this year given what's happening with COVID-19 and the pandemic."

However, he says, students will still receive assignments and assessments, including report cards.

'An easy decision': Premier

Premier Brian Pallister says that each child in Manitoba deserves a good education and continuity in their education. "We are preparing and ensuring that we are resilient during this turmoil." He says he believes Manitobans have always faced difficulties well in the past and will continue to do so. He says education plays a role in that resiliency.

Pallister says today's decision was an easy one to make because it protects children and their education. "We're going to flatten the COVID curve and as we do we ensure that all of us and our loved ones have a health Manitoba not only today but tomorrow as well."

Originally schools in Manitoba were told to close for a period of three weeks, which included the week of Spring Break.

On Monday the province announced that all non-critical businesses in the province were to close from April 1 until April 14.

More details to come.