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Statement from Minister Elliott and Minister Romano on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 13, 2020

COVID-19 Response Plan for Academic Continuity for Students and Faculty

Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities, issued the following statement in response to the impact of COVID-19 on students and faculty at Ontario’s colleges and universities:
“The health and well-being of all Ontarians is our government’s number one priority.

Based on the advice of Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, and the experts at the province’s Command Table, Ontario is taking decisive steps to contain the virus and continue to protect the public. We continue to work with our public health partners at all levels, alongside our postsecondary partners, to protect students and faculty at this critical juncture by providing regular updates on COVID-19 and campus safety.

In light of recent developments and based on strong guidance from Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, and the experts at the COVID-19 Command Table, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities will work with Ontario’s postsecondary institutions to ensure each campus has a COVID-19 response plan for academic continuity for students and faculty that does not put their health or personal well-being at risk, while ensuring students can continue to receive the world-class education our institutions provide.

This action follows similar guidance by the Command Table earlier today requesting the province temporarily close all elementary schools and secondary schools in the 14-day period following March Break, effective March 23, 2020.

Our government will continue to work with our postsecondary partners to provide updates to students and faculty as the situation evolves.”

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Temporary Alternative Training Measures – Preparing Your Attestation; What Should Be Included?

Per Travis Coulter , Superintendent of Private Career Colleges, Director, Private Career Colleges Branch Memo of March 13th, the following elements must be included in a PCCs attestation in securing approval for temporary alternative training measures.

  • “Provide an attestation, signed by an individual with the authority to bind the private career college, demonstrating that the private career college has the current capacity to train, evaluate, and support students via alternative methods of instruction without significant loss of program quality.
  • At a minimum, the attestation must include the following:
    • A list of all programs that the private career college wishes to deliver by alternative methods of instruction;
    • Details concerning how the private career college will support its students during their period of accommodation;
    • Endorsements by a relevant third party (if applicable) that the method proposed is appropriate for the program (e.g. supporting documentation from the Law Society of Ontario for alternative means of delivering paralegal programs); and
    • Confirmation by the individual signing the attestation of her or his understanding that any approval of an alternative mode of program delivery will expire following notification by local public health officials that there is no continuing risk to students of contracting COVID-19 by attending their private career college.”

Items to Consider when Preparing Attestations

  1. Learning outcomes for the period in question.
  2. How information will be communicated (e.g. Zoom, Facebook, skype, youtube, learning management system, etc.).
  3. Additional options/modes of communication for students and instructors.
  4. Opportunities for additional practice and feedback for students and instructors transitioning to a new learning environment.
  5. Flexibility to respond to issues (e.g. deadlines, bad wifi, accessibility, etc.).
  6. Academic integrity.
  7. Specific requirements of third parties in the case of programs subject to other regulators (e.g. confirmation by the Law Society of Ontario that paralegal programs are suited to alternative modes of delivery).
  8. Supports for students who choose not to, or are unable to, continue in programs via an alternative method of instruction.
  9. How placements or other “in-person” portions of programs will proceed with reference to an alternative method of instruction.
  10. Methods of evaluating students pursuing their training via an alternative method of instruction.
  11. Protection of privacy for students and other users.

Do you require assistance in preparing your attestation?

You must clearly be able to demonstrate that your private career college has the current capacity to train, evaluate, and support students via alternative methods of instruction without significant loss of program quality.

Keep in mind you must think outside the box from your current classroom delivery method to preserve the student experience and ensure their successful outcome and completion date.

If I can be of help, please connect with me – jerrybishop@bell.net or by phone 905-906-3706.

I’ll be standing by. Thank you.

Jerry Bishop

Private Career College Consultant since 2004