The New Democratic Party of Ontario (NDP) is demanding that the province take classroom cuts off the table.
The Ford government sent a memo to school boards on Thursday telling them to freeze hiring while the ministry reviews class sizes and hiring practices.
"Doug Ford has just put families on notice that deep cuts are coming to their children’s education," said Marit Stiles, the Ontario NDP's education critic. "The cuts should be stopped before they hurt children."
She said it equates to an immediate cut, as teachers retire and take sick or parental leave, and it also signals that deep cuts are coming in the spring.
“Cuts to teachers and staff in education means larger class sizes as the Conservatives cram more kids into classrooms with fewer teachers," Stiles added. "It means children won't be able to get one-on-one help when they need it, and it means already-stressed teachers will have to do even more with even less.”
School boards are being asked to defer filling vacancies for retirements and other leaves for teachers and other staff until the minister gives them an update.
“Parents shouldn’t have to worry that their children won’t get the quality education they deserve as the Conservatives take their cutting agenda out on our children," she said.
The NDP said the Ford Conservatives are also cutting $25 million from education programs and $100 million from the school repair fund. The Ford Conservatives have also been considering dismantling all-day kindergarten and removing caps on class sizes.
“It’s absolutely disgusting that Doug Ford would risk our kids' futures like this,” said Stiles. “Andrea Horwath and the NDP are urging this government to take these cuts off the table, and invest in our classrooms to give young people the quality education and school resources they deserve."
She said children deserve more opportunities, and more chances to build their success, not fewer.
