September 2, 1999 (Toronto) – The Ontario College of Teachers will consult members of the College, the public and other education stakeholders concerning the teacher re-certification process announced today by Premier Mike Harris.

"Consultation with our members and the public, and thorough research have been high priorities of the College since its beginning," said College Chair Donna Marie Kennedy. "It is our intention to continue to do policy development work in this way."

"We have initiatives under way, such as Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession, an on-going professional learning framework and accreditation processes for faculties of education. We will take this work into account," said Donna Marie Kennedy. "In terms of maintenance of teacher qualification, we’ll also want to look at what is done in other provinces, in the U.S. and around the world."

The College is the independent licensing body for teachers in Ontario, and is responsible to the public and the profession for the regulation of the teaching profession. It is also our responsibility to ensure that teachers receive the training they need to provide Ontario students with an excellent education now and in the future.

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