K-12 schools across the province are let out for the summer this week after what has been yet another unusual school year navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Classes once again moved to a virtual format after Christmas due to a surge in COVID cases, caused by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. By the end of January, things gradually moved back to in-person class instruction for most.

Education Minister Tom Osborne acknowledges the challenges educators have faced throughout this school year.

Osborne says Newfoundland and Labrador has experienced some of the least amount of time lost, and he credits everyone in the education system for making sure children are put first and foremost.

The last day of classes for students is this Thursday.