Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce admits schools won’t look the same next year.
Lecce says the government will have to “re-imagine” education in the 2020-2021 school year.
“There will have to be some protocol changes. Distancing, even with respect to movement of children for going outside. All these types of considerations are being made as we speak.”
He says a detailed plan will be unveiled by the end of June.
Lecce notes their strategy will be “bolstered by an enhanced province-wide virtual learning program that will allow all students to learn, regardless of the challenges that may transpire in the coming months.”
The province is also unveiling an expanded seven-point plan to help students continue their learning through the summer months.
Lecce says that includes help for individual school boards.
“They will be able to utilize exisiting funding from the Ministry to hire or maintain the continuity of our mental health supports and Spec. Ed supports throughout the summer. To create a bit of a wrap around experience and that these kids get as much help as they can.”
Lecce says Summer learning programs will be enhanced to reach the most students in Ontario history, to ensure they remain on track to start the 2020-2021 school year.
“The emphasis is going to be on credit recovery and credit accumulation for those kids Grade 9 to 12. We want them to take courses that they didn’t do well in this year, if they want to take them again, they can. If they want to take a new course, a new area of expertise or competence they are interested in, they can.”
Lecce adds students in Grade 8 will be able to take transitional programs to help them prepare for high school.
He says additional money will be made available to support vulnerable communities and Indigenous learners as they prepare for the planned resumption of school in September.
