Students aren’t to blame for the Ford government’s education underspending

April 17, 2023

QUEEN'S PARK — Ontario Greens leader and MPP for Guelph Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to the tabling of the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act.

“We have a government that is prioritizing selling off schools over supporting students and student achievement.

What students need is for this government to invest in their success.

That means listening to educators when they call for smaller class sizes, additional supports for students with special needs, and adequate funding scaled to inflation and population growth.

But just weeks ago, the FAO reported that this government underspent on education by $844 million this past year.

They have allowed the school repair backlog to balloon to over $16.8 billion.

Now, instead of prioritizing investments in students, the government is focused on selling off public schools.

If this government wants to improve education, they need to consult with teachers and to stop shortchanging students and parents alike.

My message to the Premier: don’t blame students for your government’s underfunding of education.”

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