TED MCMEEKIN MPP - Meeting Notes
APRIL 23, 2004
GUEST SPEAKER HON. GERARD KENNEDY
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
Opening remarks offered by Ted. The Minister was welcomed and introduced to the advisory group members in attendance.
Minister Kennedy outlined to the group the three ‘R’s of education: Respect, Responsibility,
After the presentation, the Minister took questions from the group. Following are highlights:
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The government is aiming at 75% improvement on test results
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The Ministry will work with Boards to phase in smaller classes
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There is to be a movement away from too much paperwork, which causes a great deal of classroom stress
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The need to address the disparity between costs and funding
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Re: Grade 10 literacy test – test needs review , strategy for assisting students to pass high school
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Need for a social attitude change with respect to assisting graduates make post-secondary choices (in Canada over 71% vs Europe at 45% of parents feel that university training is the only form of success)
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Concern with funding formula, when will it be changed
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School buildings are crumbling, will this be addressed
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Minister is meeting with all Boards and for the first time in 11 years with CUPE to fully understand concerns of all partners in education
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ISA process is flawed, overrun with paperwork, does nothing for identified students.’We have an ethical obligation to help these children.’(Min. Kennedy)
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There is a shortage of Educational Assistants for special education students
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There is a need for teacher training. It has been cut in the last few years
Minister Kennedy encouraged all interested in education to participate in the online forum. To register for this, go the government of Ontario website
www.gov.on.ca
Click on top right to EDUCATION, to the Ministry site. Scroll down to the bottom left to the ‘OPEN’ box and click into this to register for the Ontario Provincial Education Network.
Ted thanked Minister Kennedy on behalf of the group. He remarked that it was an appropriate start to the Advisory Group meetings in this new mandate, as the Minister had been the guest speaker at the first meeting of the group as Education Critic in 2001.
The meeting concluded at 9:00 a.m.
Next meeting is slated for early Fall
