Huron Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson says the government wants to hear from parents, students, educators and other stakeholders as they launch a province-wide consultation process.
The education minister said people can submit their views by open submission form, an online survey, and telephone town hall meetings.
During the town halls, a moderator will limit people's comments to the current discussion topic.
The consultations will focus on a variety of topics, including how to build a new age-appropriate health and physical education curriculum that includes subjects such as mental health, sexual health education, and legalization of recreational cannabis
People can also provide feedback on how to improve student performance in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math, and the use of technology in schools.
Thompson adds the consultation will also look at ways to improve standardized testing and how schools are preparing students with job skills required for today’s workplace.
“We want to hear from stakeholders to ensure we are doing everything possible to ensure students graduate with important life skills including financial literacy,” Thompson said. “We need to hear from them so we have a better understanding of what elements are important to include in a Ministry of Education Parents’ Bill of Rights.”
Thompson said the government has always been focused on respecting Ontario’s parents while preparing students for the realities of twenty-first-century jobs and the changing global economy.
“It’s time to make our students leaders in education once again. We are respecting Ontario’s parents by giving them the opportunity to have their voices heard. The feedback we receive will be used to help shape future decisions in Ontario’s education system,” she said.
Information on how to participate in each option can be found by going to https://www.ontario.ca/page/for-the-parents.
