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A spokesperson for Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, pictured here in Oct. 2025, said Friday the government is still committed to implementing the rest of the changes, but that it doesn’t want to rush the process.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
New provincial rules restricting which flags can be flown in Alberta schools and a mandate for playing the national anthem once a week are being delayed until later this year, the government says.
Also being delayed is a change that grants the education minister the power to name or rename public schools.
The new rules were expected to take effect on Sept. 1, in time for the school year.
They stem from a bill passed in the spring that Premier Danielle Smith’s government has said is meant to remove ideology from the classroom.
Other parts of the bill will still take effect come September, including a new student code of conduct prohibiting violence and a prohibition on school boards issuing statements or taking a position on political or social issues.
Robyn Urback: Alberta will rid ideology from schools just as soon as it stops dogs from barking
Also taking effect next month is a requirement that teachers present all subject matter in a neutral way. The provincial teachers’ union has said the move is “offensive” and that any implication that educators aren’t presenting the prescribed curriculum in a balanced way is unfair.
A spokesperson for Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said Friday the government is still committed to implementing the rest of the changes, but that it doesn’t want to rush the process.
“We are taking a thoughtful and measured approach to implementation to ensure these changes are introduced effectively and that education partners have the support they need to successfully transition to the new requirements,” said press secretary Elizabeth Harper.
“We will continue to engage with stakeholders, communicate updated timelines, and provide the resources and guidance necessary to support implementation.”
The bill specifically required that only the Albertan and Canadian flags be flown or displayed on school property, but the government has said schools will be able to apply for special permission to display other flags.
The government has yet to say which flags it would grant permission for, leaving critics to question whether the province will outlaw the Pride flag in schools.