The government and ministry have not yet engaged directors on their plans to support children’s education post-pandemic

BY PAUL JUNOR

As provinces and territories in Canada continue to deal with the effect of COVID-19, there is a call for drastic action to deal with the impact of this pandemic on education

Since 1996, People for Education have been at the forefront of advocating for an equitable public education.

According to its website: https://people for education, it is “A unique organization in Canada: independent, non-partisan, and fuelled by a belief in the power and promise of public education. We create evidence, instigate dialogue, and build links so that people can see-and act-on-the connection between the public and a fair and prosperous society.”

They released a report “Pan-Canadian scan reveals large gaps in education recovery and renewal plans,” which calls for a federal task force and an education recovery fund. The press release revealed information that was truly very disturbing.

The Pan-Canadian scan, “Reveals a glaring reality; while all provinces and territories have detailed safety strategies for schools, few have articulated a vision or guidelines to manage, assess, or respond to the educational impact of COVID-19, and none have allocated the substantial funding true recovery and renewal will require.”

People for Education made several recommendations to facilitate recovery and renewal:

The federal government should:

• Establish a Federal Advisory Table on Public Education as recommended by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation.
• Expand its current funding to provinces, territories, and First Nations with a multi-billion-dollar, multi-year Education Recovery Fund to support planning, evidence-gathering, assessments, increased numbers of staff, and vital resources.

Provinces and territories working collaboratively with school boards and education stakeholders should:

• Develop comprehensive recovery and renewal plans supported by data collection, sample-based evaluations of student progress, student surveys and well-being assessments.
• Ensure recovery and renewal plans include specific measurable goals for addressing the inequities, structural barriers and systemic racism exposed and amplified by the pandemic and that continue to prevent equal access to all students.

Caroline Alphonso, Executive Director for PEP stated that the report “Has shown a huge gap in concrete plans for recovery and renewal. What we’re seeing in Ontario and what we’re hearing from other places is that individual schools, individual teachers and individual principles are working to try and make things okay. We’re depending on those local heroes.”

The article noted that there are widespread concerns about “The achievement gaps in learning, as well as the social and emotional struggles of students, especially those from marginalized students.”

Ms Kidder noted further, “The impact of the pandemic is going to be long-term. What researchers are already saying is that there is a bigger interventional need to deal with the effect.”

Tony Pontes, Executive Director of the Council of Ontario’s Director of Education stated that there has been no communication with the government with respect to what is required even though there was funding for summer programs and mental-health support. “The government and ministry have not yet engaged directors on their plans to support children’s education post-pandemic.

Furthermore, Sam Hammond, president of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation stated, “Governments want to believe that everything is going to return to normal, or at least pre-pandemic normal, and that is not going to happen. Our education systems, teachers, support staff and students need a clear and sustainable path forward.”