Border Land School Division officials have temporarily pushed 'pause' on school-based extra-curricular activities for the 2020/21 year.

Superintendent Krista Curry says the decision was made in order to keep the focus on safely delivering teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"So we're trying to remove some of those layers that add pressure to principals, to teachers who are also coaches, bussing and the cleaning of the spaces. There are solutions to some of that, but right now there just isn't enough practice in place with the teaching and learning to move on to some of those extra-curricular pieces," she explained.

As a result, grades 5 to 8 athletics and extra-curriculars have been paused for the time-being as well as high school sports, which is run through the Manitoba High School Athletics Association.

"MHSAA had made a statement about not sanctioning tournaments or not hosting provincials, but had said that zones could coordinate something if they wanted to," said Curry. "So the majority of schools in Border Land fall within Zone 4, but in Sprague we go to another zone for athletics. Most of the divisions are making similar decisions but that's up to each to decided."

The decision means activities like field trips are temporarily put on hold as well.

"It's not forever, it's just for now and once we get back into school and get into the swing of things and see how things are going then we'll start to revisit those things," added Curry.