Investing in Ontario-OSSTF/FEESO Launches Public Education Platform

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Dec. 5, 2013) -

Attention: Assignment editor and education reporters

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) officially launched its public education platform today at a press conference held in Toronto at Queen's Park. The platform, entitled Public Education-Investing in Ontario, outlines OSSTF/FEESO's vision for publicly-funded education in the province.

"We have clearly heard from education stakeholders that public education is an investment that creates social and economic benefits for all citizens," said OSSTF/FEESO President Paul Elliott. "Our plan encourages further investments in public education at all levels, including elementary, secondary and post-secondary."

"Public education is the great social equalizer," continued Elliott. "A properly funded system gives equal access to an education for all, regardless of income, ethnic background or beliefs. Our plan calls for greater accessibility to an education for all citizens, including at our post-secondary institutions."

The OSSTF/FEESO education platform has six major themes, which include:

• Enhanced funding for public education at all levels
• Preserving schools as community hubs
• Enable all students to have access to a broad range of learning opportunities
• Healthier and safer schools for students and education workers
• Dedicated and consistent funding for post-secondary education
• Moving to create two secular public education systems-one in English and one in French

Elliott continued by stating, "Public education cannot be regarded as just another budget line to be cut. Investments in the public education system benefit every Ontarian by creating a well-educated and skilled workforce for the 21st century."

"OSSTF/FEESO calls upon all political parties to review our education platform. It is a culmination of feedback from many education stakeholders who seek to improve our publicly-funded education system for our children and students, including the 60,000 teachers and support staff of OSSTF/FEESO who work with our students every day," concluded Elliott.

OSSTF/FEESO, founded in 1919, has 60,000 members across Ontario. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, university support staff, and many others in education.