TORONTO: The Ministry of Education released a statement by Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, to mark the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.
In it, Minister Lecce speaks about students returning to a full year school experience, during which students will be able to enjoy a normal school setting and participate in extra-curricular activities and field trips.
“This new school year marks the beginning of a return to a normal school experience with students in classrooms, for the full school year, with the full school experience. That means that after two years of pandemic disruptions, students are back in normal, enjoyable school settings, including extra-curriculars like sports and field trips that we know are so important to student success,” stated Lecce.
Lecce spoke about the Ministry of Education’s Plan to Catch Up, which includes initiatives and programs to help expand tutoring and student mental health supports in an effort to better prepare them with job skills needed for what the Minister describes as "the jobs of tomorrow."
” As part of our Plan to Catch Up, we are providing students with expanded tutoring and mental health supports and preparing them with the skills for the jobs of tomorrow. We are emphasizing STEM learning and the skilled trades, teaching students our brand new math and science curriculum that includes concepts of budgeting, credit and other real world applications,” added Lecce.
The Ministry of Education’s Plan to Catch Up contains specific guidelines and expectations focused on helping students catch up after the effects of the pandemic. It speaks to the Ministry’s plan to offer:
- Funding to build more schools and hire more staff
- New Tutoring supports
- Mental Health supports
- Special Education needs and supports
- Emphasis on STEM
- Free Help line for students
- Preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow with programs in Skilled Trades, Coding in the math, science and technology curriculum.
Lecce concluded his statement, by stating his commitment to a disruption-free school year, providing a stable return to classes until the end of June and by thanking students, families and staff for their hard work.
