In regional news, Fort Frances council is wading into the debate over new e-learning requirements for high school students in Ontario.
Starting in 2020, students will be required to complete four online courses to graduate.
Councillor Rick Wiedenhoeft, a retired teacher says that creates some challenges for students locally.
He says “without the guidance of a teacher,” some students who are already struggling will have even more challenges with the online courses.
A rural eastern Ontario community is passing around a resolution that calls on the Ford government to reconsider the proposal in rural areas with no or limited Internet access.
Mayor June Caul, who is also a former educator, also has concerns.
“There are many students who, first of all, don’t have the access [to] a computer to do those kinds of things,” Caul points out, “And secondly, many challenged students who do need that one-on-one assistance, where will they get that?”
