Ontario Cuts to English as a Second Language
This commentary highlights the impact of recent cuts in Ontario to English as a Second Language (ESL). A strong ESL program is the cornerstone of public education in a culturally diverse society. Yet school boards in Ontario have had to struggle in the face of increasingly restrictive funding requirements imposed by the provincial Ministry of Education. The most recent cuts are the result of a new funding formula which took effect September 1999. The immediate impact is the loss of substantial numbers of ESL teaching positions and cuts to this crucial component of the education curriculum. The impact upon ESL students themselves will be great; an ESL learner who is unable to master the language of instruction at school is at risk of becoming a marginal member of society. The long-term costs of this ill-conceived policy are potentially very high.
ISBN – 1-894159-98-5