The pandemic was tough on all of us, but it particularly impacted school-aged kids.
Ontario students were out of school longer than any other jurisdiction in the country. For many students, learning was challenging because of the constant opening and closing of schools.
Even the province’s COVID-19 Science Table acknowledged that kids were likely three months behind in their learning because of school closures.
Kids were removed not only from their learning environment but they missed out on social interaction with their friends and peers. Extra-curriculars such as sports and clubs were non-existent. And some of our more vulnerable kids felt isolated and fell into deeper crisis.
We need to fix this. We need to make up for everything that’s lost. And to do that, you have to ask yourself: Who do I trust to get our kids’ education back on track?
Just months before the pandemic began, the Ford Conservatives were planning to fire10,000 teachers, increase class sizes and move more classes online.
If given another chance, the Ford Conservatives will pick up where they left off before the pandemic and make even more cuts to our schools.
An Ontario Liberal government will invest in education and support our students from kindergarten to Grade 12, and we’ll prepare them for careers and other opportunities after graduation. We’ll cancel the Ford Conservatives’ misguided Highway 413 project and reinvest that $10 billion in schools and eliminate the repair backlog.
Ontario Liberals will create smaller class sizes by hiring more teachers and an additional special education worker for every school. We will increase mental health supports in schools, a program that the Ford Conservatives cut in 2019. We will support students’
Who do you trust to protect your kids’ education, health and wellbeing by expanding the Student Nutrition Program to provide breakfast to every K-12 student who needs one, and we’ll ensure elementary students have a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity a day.
An Ontario Liberal government will reinstate an optional Grade 13 to give students a chance to catch up and offer new credits such as financial literacy and taxes as well as experiential learning and co-op placements. We’ll reverse the cuts the Ford Conservatives made to OSAP funding, and we’ll eliminate interest on provincial student loans, so they’re easier to pay off. We will get more people into apprenticeships and the skilled trades, including giving a $2,000 grant to those who go into apprenticeship training.
This is what investing in our children means. This is what investing in the next generation means.
I’m running in this election as the Liberal Candidate for Oakville because I value public education, and I believe in investing in our kids. I’m running because I believe kids in Oakville and across our province deserve the best education in the world.
On June 2nd, choose the party that you trust most to get our kids’ education back on track.
Alison Gohel is the Ontario Liberal Candidate for Oakville. The Ontario election is on June 2nd.
For more information about Alison and the Ontario Liberal plan, please visit www.alisongohel.com.
Written and paid for by the Ontario Liberal candidate for Oakville, Alison Gohel.
