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Bill 52Public expects qualified teachers, Chair tells governmentCreating “equivalent learning” opportunities to keep students in school should not come at the expense of having teachers who are certified and qualified, former Council Chair Marilyn Laframboise told a government standing committee in October. “The public has come to expect that Ontario's children will be taught by teachers who are accountable to their regulatory body for their professional practice,” the Chair said in response to Bill 52, Learning to Age 18. “Anything less is not in the public interest.” The Bill, which amends the Education Act and Highway Traffic Act, is aimed at raising the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18, “or until graduation, by keeping students learning in classrooms or in approved out-of-school programs, including apprenticeships and co-operative education.” The bill refers to “equivalent learning” opportunities that would fall outside instruction normally provided by school boards. The College supports the intent to help more students succeed, Laframboise said, but added that parents and students have the right to expect that teachers are licensed to teach and have the knowledge, pre-service teacher education and qualifications to do so. According to the draft bill, high school students would be allowed to claim credits for time spent in programs, courses or other activities offered by colleges and universities not governed by the Act, or from community groups, apprenticeships and job training. “We believe that equivalent learning opportunities must be supervised by College members with specialized knowledge who are subject to our disciplinary oversight,” said Laframboise. To see the full College submission go to www.oct.ca.
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