It will be another month of at home learning for Ontario students.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce made the announcement via news release Sunday afternoon without holding a news conference.

He says the extension was based on expert advice from the Chief Medical Officer of Health and health officials on the COVID-19 Command Table. Officials want schools closed until the modelling for the course of the novel coronavirus to be updated.

If schools reopen May 31, the teachers and staff will be in the school May 20 to prepare.

And it appears there will be no exams if the students head back to class. The new release says “The Ministry of Education will move forward to replace the remainder of Professional Activity (PA) days and examination days with instructional time, as well as the introduction of an expanded summer learning program that will focus on credit recovery, supports for vulnerable students, and course upgrading.”

The news release continues “Boards are to find solutions at the local level in keeping with this direction while upholding collective agreement obligations.”

Private schools, First Nation schools, licensed child care centres and EarlyON programs will remain closed until May 6 under the Emergency Order. That order can only be extended by two weeks at a time.