Education Minister Announces Additional Funding In An Updated Back-To-School Plan

Thursday, 13 August 2020 at 16:54

Education Minister Stephen Lecce says school boards will be able to invest nearly $500 million in funding to support priorities like social distancing in class. $50 million will go towards upgrading ventilation and HVAC systems and $18 million to hire staff for online learning.

ONTARIO - Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced additional funding ahead of reopening schools in Ontario.

Effectively immediately, he says school boards will be able to invest nearly $500 million in funding to support local priorities with a greater focus on greater social distancing in class.

"To do this, I'll be expanding the ability of boards for this year only in a one-time request to access reserve funding which is taxpayer dollars that are unspent which can immediately be used for these priorities with a focus on greater social distancing."

In addition to the $500 million investment, the Province will be providing $50 million for immediate ventilation and HVAC upgrades to improve the air quality in classrooms in Ontario.

He says these upgrades can start immediately and give peace of mind that the air our children are breathing is safe.

The Province will be investing $18 million for staff and administrative support for online learning. He says this is to help administer accountability for parents.

"Within this funding boards will hire principals and these support staff dedicated exclusively to online learning so that their singular focus will always be on maximizing your child's ability to succeed, and creating an element of accountability so you have a point of contact, and so that these kids remain safe and supported throughout."

The provincial government has also invested $15 million in new funding for school boards to provide technology for students, including laptops and iPads and in some cases internet as well.

Lecce says in combination with their previous commitments made over the past few weeks, school boards will be able to access nearly $900 million in targeted, one time funding to prepare them for a safe return to school.

"We are pulling out all the stops. We are investing more. We are consistently adding health and safety measures to our layers of prevention. And day in, day out we are listening to the best medical minds in this province. We're taking monumental steps to protect your children in the classroom that they learn and grow. They absolutely deserve nothing less."