The results of the Ontario PC Government’s “Common Sense Revolution” in the mid-1990s, were catastrophic to education, especially with regards to adult education. With the passing of Bill 34 and Bill 160, 70% of adult education courses were cancelled immediately and within the Toronto District School Board for example, funding for adult day school programs dropped from seven thousand dollars per student to approximately twenty-three hundred dollars. While slight increases in funding have occurred since, they are not substantial, and the needs of these students continue to be met inadequately. Additionally, as the adult student population has become more diverse, and with class sizes reaching upward to 50 or more students, the expectations on Adult Day School teachers have increased. Adult Day School teachers lack adequate benefits compared to their contract teaching counterparts, are paid an hourly rate, do not receive paid prep time, and their teaching experience does not count under the teacher hiring guidelines in accordance to Regulation 274. Inequalities and human rights violations are clearly evident.
As such, this petition calls on the Ontario Ministry of Education to improve the funding formula model for adult education in Ontario. We hope this petition will present a large enough voice so as to be an important part of the upcoming round of collective bargaining and allow for better equality to occur within our education system.
This petition received the unanimous endorsement from those members in attendance at the OSSTF Toronto Annual General Meeting on May 15, 2014.
Please take a moment to sign the petition at the link below: