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Seven Generation Education Institute has dropped the need to wear masks at its campuses.

The requirement was lifted during orientation activities last week.

Chief Executive Officer Brent Tookenay says they felt the policy was not necessary anymore with mask requirements having been lifted elsewhere.

“We just kind of made it optional. It’s a mask-friendly environment, and no judgments on people that wear masks,” says Tookenay.

Tookenay says they still can shift to online learning if necessary.

“Say someone runs into a situation where its COVID or sick or whatever, we have the ability, like a lot of organizations, just to shift things on to online and seamlessly and we don’t miss a beat.”

Around 250 students are estimated to have enrolled in post-secondary programs.

Tookenay says he is happy to see students in their buildings, especially at their campus near Couchiching First Nations.

“We built this new building, and then 7 -8 months into it, we have to lock the doors for two and a half years because of COVID. So we haven’t had a lot of students here like a full student body.

There have been some students here and there but it’s been fairly quiet in this building for a few years.”

Class started today.