Ontario’s Minister of Education Stephen Lecce was on CJBQ’s Lorne Brooker Show on Thursday.
He talked to Lorne about Bill 98 – the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act.
Minister Lecce says the province needs to refocus on the basics.
“Reading, writing, and math. We’ve seen regression across this province and frankly the entire western world. EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office) data confirms it.”
“We have to make sure that young people graduate with the confidence and the fluency and the skills that are actually going to help them succeed.”
Lecce says many parents believe the system needs to be refocused on fundamental skills, including science, technology, engineering, and math, and more job placements and hands-on learning.
The Ministry of Education announced over the weekend that one thousand new teachers were going to be hired, with a focus on literacy and math.
Lecce says Bill 98 will allow the province to set desired standards across the board, with respect to academic achievement, including binding requirements on the education system.
“You know, higher grad rates, higher EQAO rates, better reading, writing, math assessments. All those data points become the overwhelming emphasis of their existence and frankly of their time and energy.”
That will also create more accountability for school boards which will help lift outcomes and standards.
