Rogers, Apple and Ontario School Boards help families during COVID-19 Crisis

BY PAUL JUNOR

The closure of all schools in Ontario has seen over two million students having to access online lessons to continue their learning.

Two of the largest school boards in Ontario: the Peel District School Board (PDSB) and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) have expressed concerns about the lack of accessibility that some students may have to internet. The reality of the digital divide has been well documented which according to Oxford dictionary is, “The gulf between those who have ready access to computers and those who do not.”

The Ontario government announced on Friday, April 17^th, 2020 that it had bought 21,000 iPads that would be delivered to Ontario school boards, which would then be distributed to students of low-income families.

Currently, there are 76 public school boards in Ontario, which includes: 38 public secular boards (34 catholic, 4 French and 38 public separate boards) that serve over two million students. One wonders if 21,000 iPads will be sufficient for the families who need them. According to the Minister of Education, Stephen Leece in the news release, “These students will be able to access resources through our learn at home portal. For the parents, I hope this gives you some piece of mind, knowing that your children will have access to the tools they need to continue learning during this difficult period.”

The government has left it up to the school board to determine which students are eligible for iPads. The Minister of Education recently published, “Ontario Establishes Key Partnership to Make Home Learning Accessible.” He indicated that there has been a partnership between Rogers and Apple to provide vital services to families who receive these iPads. Rogers is Canada’s largest provider of wireless communication services, and is one of the leading providers of high-speed Internet services to consumers and business.

According to Dean Prevost, President of Roger’s for Business, “For some of the most vulnerable members of our society, accessing online learning tools at home is an added burden at a time when there is already a lot of stress. Rogers is pleased to be working alongside the Ontario government and school boards across the province to close the digital divide for some of our most vulnerable people and their families.”

Rogers will provide free wireless data until the end of June. Apple will ensure that videos apps and books to assist teachers are available. In addition, there will be on-going support in French and English that teachers, parents and students can access along with resources to support learning and working at home. Kids who get these iPads will be able to engage in digital learning 24/7.

The TDSB, which is the largest school board in Ontario with 247,000 students, has started giving out 50,000 devices from early April and will continue to early May. According to John Malloy, director of the TDSB, “We made the decision to have the devices delivered directly to the homes of our students to ensure that families can remain safely at home. This option will take more time, but the safety of our communities is our top priority.”

The York Region District School Board (YRDSB) which has 128,000 students and the PDSB which has 153,000 students will be giving out 20,000 devices. Parents have the option of either picking them up at school abiding by safety health practices or getting them delivered at home.

The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) which has 91,000 students bought 6,000 Chrome books and Internet-enabled iPads that they will be delivering to the homes of 4,500 students.

In addition to the iPads, the Ontario government has provided financial support to parents to help them cover the cost of educational materials and childcare closure as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Parents are eligible to receive a one-time per child payment of $200 for children aged 0-12 and $250 for children with special needs aged 0-21.

The only thing that parents/guardians have to do is submit one application per child and payment will be provided through direct deposit. If cheques are requested it may take several months from the date of application.