Schools are the heart of our communities. Children and youth have suffered enormous losses during the pandemic.
Years of Liberal and Conservative funding freezes and cuts have left our schools overcrowded, understaffed, and in urgent need of repairs, with a multi-billion-dollar repair backlog. Ford slashed $800 million from classrooms and refused to spend money to keep schools safe during COVID. The Ontario NDP has a detailed and doable plan to fix what the Liberals and Conservatives broke and invest to ensure Ontario’s world-class public education system thrives. We’ll ensure every student in the province gets the support, education and opportunities they need to succeed.
Bhutila and the NDP are committed to:
- Reversing Ford's cuts to education and investing in students to help them get back on their feet academically, emotionally, and psychologically
- Hiring 20,000 Teachers and Education Workers and invest in in-school remedial learning programs
- Capping classes for Grades 4 through 8 at 24 and reducing high school class sizes to ensure students at every age get the direct support and attention they deserve
- Immediately addressing the backlog, with a plan to clear it within 10 years
- Hiring more mental health workers and child and youth workers
- Working with Indigenous leaders and educators to ensure that Ontario’s school curricula appropriately reflects Indigenous experiences and histories.