MUSKOKA, ON-Minister of Education Stephen Lecce has confirmed that the government is changing its stance on high school class sizes and mandatory e-learning.
In an interview with the President of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) for Simcoe Muskoka, Colin Matthews said that changing class sizes could possibly stop the firing of teachers.
Lecce also said that the government has changed its mandatory e-learning policy that requires high school students to complete two online courses in order to get their diploma. Starting in the fall parents can opt-out of their children of taking any e-learning courses. Matthews said that this could pose a problem as there are several teachers in the Trillium Lakelands District School Board who are designated, e-learning teachers. “If parents decide to take their children out of that class, then those teachers would no longer be needed, “ said Matthews.
Matthews said it is too early to know what the implications of these moves will be but for class sizes, it comes down to cap sizes and the move from the current 22.9 average. “Lecce didn’t really say during his press conference if 23 was going to be the cap or average, this could mean some classes could be bigger while others are smaller,” said Matthews.
These changes will take effect this fall and Matthews said that more information could come out over the next few days about how this will affect high schools in Muskoka.
