Toronto, May 3: The Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) is marking Education Week in the province by highlighting the incredible job they have done over the past year, especially with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as calls for a key priority for education. Each year during the first full week in May, the students, teachers and parents celebrate the teaching excellence as well as student achievement in Ontario.

“Through hard work, innovation, and the passion to educate our youth, our public education system continues to navigate successfully through the pandemic to keep students learning,” says OPSBA President Cathy Abraham in a media release.

This year’s theme for Education Week is #StrongerTogether, which best describes how the system works, from teachers to caretakers to trustees to everyone who plays a part in the system, COVID-19 has altered their work in significant ways, and they’ve adjusted to ensure strong public education continues. Similarly, by navigating the sudden thrust into extensive online learning or taking care of enhanced cleaning and screening measures, students will thank the teachers, caretakers, principals, administrators, and all education workers for their dedication this week.

The OPSBA is an association of English public district school boards and public school authorities which serve more than 1.3 million public elementary and secondary students across the province. They believe that, Ontario’s education system is world-renowned and they have a remarkable record of successful outcomes for all students, with amazing things happening each and every day in public schools. Because students are learning about Canadian history and culture, including Indigenous peoples, participating in robotics competitions, understanding the implications of multiplication and geometry, dissecting worms, painting masterpieces, creating original music, analyzing powerful novels, strengthening their independent and group work skills, and, once they get back to normal, realizing personal and team bests in sports events, getting critical on-the-job training via co-operative education and apprenticeships and much more.

As it celebrates the Education Week, it would highlight the great work of their students. Even though students have missed out on valuable time with their friends and teachers and have had to deal with disruptions for the pandemic they’ve never seen before, the OPSBA also been inspired by their work.

The OBSBA also believes, with the stress the pandemic has caused the students and their families, it is proud that their education workers have gone above and beyond to maintain a safe, welcoming, equitable and innovative learning environment. Thus, OPSBA also call on the public to continue to make education a key priority for the government and future ones, to ensure their students have a special place to learn and grow for years to come.