TORONTO -- Ontario's Progressive Conservative government is backing off a plan to mandate that high school students take four online courses in order to graduate.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce says students will now need to take two e-learning courses instead, starting with those who will graduate in 2023-24.
The four mandatory online courses, and government moves to increase average high school class sizes from 22 to 28, have been major sticking points in ongoing negotiations with teachers.
The government has also said it's willing to drop the class size average from 28 to 25.
Lecce says the province is trying to demonstrate that it's being reasonable.
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, which represents high school teachers, is set to give an update on its bargaining with the province today.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2019.
