The Ministry of Education confirmed on Monday that students in Ontario schools will not be required to wear masks in the fall.

Instead, usage will be optional and masks will be available to students upon request.

Rapid tests will also remain available to school boards. Mask mandates in Ontario ended on March 21, making masks optional for students in classroom settings.

The fall semester of 2022 will be the first full semester since the beginning of the pandemic that Ontario students will not be required to wear masks. Late last month, the Ministry of Education announced a plan to help students catch up after two years of disrupted learning.

As part of this plan, COVID-19 protocols inside schools will remain the same as last spring.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said in a statement to CTV News Toronto on Monday, "Our government's catch-up plan is designed to keep students in safe classrooms without interruption."

The catch-up plan focuses on helping students get back on track, learning life and job skills, and enjoying the full return of clubs, sports, and extra curricula — which is critical to students' physical and mental health.

That starts with being in class, on time, with the full school experience alongside mental health support and historic educational support."

Few new details have been released about how the government plans to ensure continued in-person learning throughout the year, especially if another wave of COVID-19 hits the province.

Instead, the government promoted its previous investments in ventilation improvements and HEPA filter units, providing rapid COVID-19 tests for staff and students, and funding parents to offset the costs of online learning.

The province says approximately $26.6 billion has been allocated to elementary and secondary education in Ontario for the 2022-23 school year.