When she was 34 years old and a single mother of four living on social assistance in a large public housing complex in Winnipeg’s North End, Aja Oliver saw a sign at a community centre for an Adult Learning Centre. She had not finished high school, had struggled, as did everyone in her family, with the many complexities of life in poverty, and was fed up with being on social assistance. She ventured in. Her life has not been the same since.

Four years of austerity has weakened Ontario’s public education system. COVID-19 and online learning deepen educational inequalities.

A strong public education system that allows all children to recover from these difficult years is possible

Adult education during the pandemic

COVID-19 edition

The deprofessionalizing, dehumanizing and demoralizing impacts of online education

COVID-19 has been a devastating disruptor

Students are more than political “changemaker” talking points

Districts confronting a third year of disruption, with a mandate to deliver full-time online education, are normalizing the pandemic hybrid model.

Les gouvernements ontariens ont successivement réduit leurs subventions publiques envers les revenus d'exploitation des universités d'environ 80 % en 1980 à environ 50 % en 2004, et à seulement 38 % en 2017.

Ontario governments have reduced their public grants for university operating revenues from a level at about 80% in 1980 to around 50% in 2004, and to only 38% in 2017.

What’s the true story about what's happening at Ontario’s schools during the pandemic? Ricardo Tranjan examines funding across the province, school board by school board.