March 24th, 2022
NDP calls on Ford to scrap EQAO testing this year
QUEEN’S PARK – NDP Education critic Marit Stiles called on Ford to scrap this year’s EQAO testing in question period Thursday. She released the following statement:
“Ontario students and families endured the longest school closures in the country. It’s had a devastating impact on student mental health and too many students have fallen behind. Now principals and teachers are sounding the alarm that the resources needed in our schools are simply not there.
Instead of marshalling resources to meet the challenges facing our students and education workers, Ford is rushing to bring back standardized EQAO testing. That’s millions spent on outdated standardized testing instead of investing in the supports students need. There are also very real concerns that the Ford government has politicized the EQAO, since they appointed a failed Conservative candidate as its chair and gave him a 400 per cent pay hike.
Ford must scrap the EQAO standardized test this year and stop piling more stress onto students just trying to keep up in school. The NDP would invest in the things students, education workers and families have all been asking for – like more mental health supports, smaller classes sizes and more teachers and education workers in our schools.”