While confusion reigns supreme in the school world, Ontario is considering making lifelong remote learning for all providers. The decision, said Education Minister Lecce, will be taken in the coming weeks.
This is the latest in a confidential ministerial document obtained by The Globe and Mail. The possibility was made “for consultation purposes” by the Ministry of Education at a meeting this week with various educational groups including school trustees, officials and teachers’ unions. With this move, the controversy born with the Ford government is rekindling online lessons instead of in-school classrooms. Many believe that the option of extending virtual learning beyond the pandemic will create a breach in the province’s public education system and open the door to privatisation. The teachers’ unions are firmly convinced of this, announcing that they are fighting. Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario president Sam Hammond said the plan will allocate funds from public education to private companies. “This plan will negatively affect students, increase inequalities, lower standards in publicly funded education, and bring us one step closer to privatizing public education,” he said. “If introduced and approved, starting in September 2021, parents would continue to have the opportunity to enroll their children in full-time synchronous remote learning – it says in the document – school boards would also be required to provide students with distance learning on snowy days and in case of emergencies involving school closures.”
Meanwhile, at least two boards – the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic School Board – have already asked families to choose between in-person and virtual learning for the fall, despite many unknowns in the country’s pandemic response.
But while allowing school providers to manage virtual lessons, the Ministry of Education’s document makes it clear that there would be “no additional administrative funding from the government.” “If implemented,” says the paper, “this change will ensure students have continuous access to public education, even when they cannot physically attend school.” Asked about possible legislation on distance learning, Caitlin Clark, a spokeswoman for Education Minister Stephen Lecce, said Wednesday’s budget had put investment in online learning and broadband funding into account. The government has said it wants to invest $40 million over two years to improve virtual study technology. The money will be used to improve connectivity in school buildings and allow students and teachers to participate in distance learning both “during Covid-19 and in the future.”
The spokesperson believes that distance learning can only be. “Online learning has undoubtedly been key to ensuring the continuity of teaching of students during the pandemic and to mitigate the loss of lessons – said Clark – we will continue to consult and engage with stakeholders to maintain this option for parents and ensure its availability this September.”
In short, the controversy has served. There are many psychologists who warn against the dangers to children’s mental health inherent in isolation within the four walls of the house without the possibility of socializing with friends and classmates.
The 2021 budget unveiled Wednesday at Queen’s Park sparked fury from the five largest teachers’ unions – Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario, Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) and Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) – which released a joint statement yesterday. “Of course, education is not a priority for this government,” it says, “the pandemic has had a profound impact on students, education workers and our communities. The government’s continued refusal to invest in measures to keep schools safe has led to worrying consequences for the health and well-being of education workers. The irregular and inconsistent vaccination plan continues to generate confusion and chaos throughout the province. And its total inability to respond to the pandemic has prolonged the crisis and continues to create uncertainty.” The unions reiterated once again the need to have classes with fewer students, enhanced security measures to ensure infection control, mental health support for students and school operators. “It is time for Premier Ford and Minister Lecce to start listening to the education workers. The government’s abandonment of publicly funded education shows insensitivity and it must take responsibility for this,” the statement concludes.