A protest took place this afternoon (January 24th, 2022) outside of Algonquin College in Pembroke.
Those in attendance were calling for a return to in-person learning, to receive financial compensation for missed activities related to in-person learning and for a student support system to be put in place when in-person classes at the college resume.
One of the organizers and Outdoor Adventure student at the Pembroke Campus, Cailan Robinson, says roughly half of his classmates have dropped out since the start of the semester.
He adds they’re not experiencing the hands-on learning and in-person activities they were promised and paid for as part of their tuition.
He says there should be some sort of compensation for their tuition with all the cuts.
Robinson is originally from Toronto and living in Pembroke while attending Algonquin College.
Senior Vice President of Academics at Algonquin College, Christopher Janzen, says the College plans to provide academic programming in a hybrid delivery mode until March 6th, 2022.
Algonquin College says most theory courses are being delivered virtually, while applied learning activities are continuing on campuses.
Janzen says the College continues to place the safety of learners and employees as its top priority.
Algonquin College has a notice posted on their website about virtual learning.
The Pembroke campus has additional information and local impacts posted online.