Education investments needed to achieve ‘stable’ school year, OSSTF president says
Posted Sep 11, 2022 12:30:00 PM.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce has pledged a normal school experience for students this year and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) president hopes investments and supports achieve this.
Karen Littlewood, president of OSSTF, told The Sam Laprade Show on Thursday, Sept. 8, that investments should include supporting child and youth workers, mental health workers and school custodians.
Next week, the OSSTF will be at the bargaining table with the provincial government, and Littlewood hopes the government comes up with proposals that reflect additional support.
Minister Lecce said in a statement that they will do whatever it takes to ensure a normal, stable and uninterrupted school year for all students and are supporting public education with a $26.6 billion investment so students can catch up following the two years of disruption.
“It is more important than ever for OSSTF and other unions to commit to staying in school with students until June,” Lecce said. “With unprecedented tutoring supports and investments to hire additional staff, our government is focused on keeping students in class so they can gain critical life and job skills they need to succeed.”
Littlewood likened the education system and teachers to healthcare and nurses, with both professions comprised mostly of women. She noted that if the education department isn't invested in, it could end up in a similar crisis to the healthcare system, which has seen emergency departments close temporarily due to a shortage of nurses.
She added that although some teachers view the return to school with no COVID-19 mandates as a positive thing, others are retiring early.
“What are we going to do to make sure that the students get the high-quality education from experienced professionals…and that we have people who are going to share best practices and make sure that we are delivering the same level of education in 2022, that we did, say in 2018,” she said.
Listen to the full interview with Karen Littlewood below:
