Ontario Liberals say the province’s education system needs at least an extra billion dollars annually.
Education Critic John Fraser has been on a fact-finding tour recently to learn about the challenges facing schools.
He says special education is at the top of those concerns.
“Seventy-one out of 72 school boards spend more money than the ministry sends them every year to the tune of $850 billion, and the need is still not being met,” says Fraser.
“Simply put, the government’s just not investing the money that’s needed to support children with special needs.”
Fraser says schools are also facing difficulties with large class sizes, and the combining of grades to meet Ministry of Education guidelines is becoming more the norm than the exception.
Another concern, he says, is the rise in violence in schools.
Fraser notes that lockdowns are a common practice in schools.
“There’s a real problem in our schools. Our kids are hurting. They’ve been hurting since the pandemic, and the government needs to make this a priority,” says Fraser.
“They don’t need to make a priority of waving their finger at the governance.”
Fraser says the government should be focusing on making schools safe.
“The biggest problem is the government is not investing in education.”
Fraser is continuing to tour the province with a visit to Thunder Bay planned in the coming weeks.
