Ontario students in Grades 7, 8, and 10 will soon be required to learn more about the contributions of Black Canadians.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced Thursday Black History is being made a mandatory part of the curriculum for those three grade levels.
“Black history is Canadian history,” said Lecce. “By mandating learning on the contributions Black individuals made to our country’s founding and success, the next generation of Canadians will better appreciate the sacrifice, patriotic commitment and long-lasting contributions Black Canadians have made to Canada."
Students will learn about various Black communities that emerged and developed in Canada and the significant contributions they made to the country.
Consultations will be done with historians, educators, and the Black community to develop the new curriculum over the next year. It will then be officially rolled out in the classroom in September 2025.
Lecce added that the addition of mandatory Black history learning is "long overdue."
In Grades 7 and 8 there will be a focus on pre-Confederation history, while students in Grade 10 will learn specifically about Black Canadians post-Second World War, Lecce said.
He also announced that the ministry will be conducting reviews of the entire curriculum in both English and French from kindergarten to Grade 12 every five years to ensure it is up-to-date and relevant. That plan comes as part of the newly released Ontario Curriculum Review and Revision Guide.
