Wynne Liberals’ failed launch of online literacy test will cost taxpayers

During Question Period today, NDP education critic and Windsor West MPP, Lisa Gretzky, demanded answers from Premier Wynne on what her government’s failed launch of the online literacy test will cost taxpayers. 

“Last week’s failed launch of the online grade 10 literacy test cost nearly 200 000 students an entire school day, and months of hard work and preparation,” said Gretzky. “While experts say that an online attack came as no surprise, this Liberal government was caught blindsided with their rushed rollout of online testing.”

Last Thursday, the province launched an online version of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), but a cyber-attack prevented thousands of students from completing the test. Of the nearly 16,000 students that were able to complete the test, they are still unsure whether or not their results will be accepted.

“Now it’s back to the drawing board for a Liberal government that continues to let Ontario students down,” said Gretzky. “While the loss of confidence in our education system is immeasurable, how much will the latest IT blunder cost Ontario taxpayers?”