Back to Basics: How Ontario plans to fight politicization of the education system

"I think what we’re first of all emphasizing is young people to be taught how to learn. Our mission is really to teach critical thinking skills where they’re encouraged to think for themselves, not to be told what to think. That’s a first principle in a school.
... this is the first time we have a wholesale reform to accountability, we’re putting resources in place, and we’re sending a clear, unambiguous signal to the education system. We need to get back to basics. We need kids to learn fundamental skills. And the EQAO data proves a real problem, which is kids have regressed on those skills and therefore our priority this September and every September has to be academic achievement. And we will hold school boards to account to ensure that they do that."