Ontario. Ministry of Education (1972-1993)

• Ministry of Education

In April 1972, during a wide ranging reorganization of the Government of Ontario, the Department of Education became the Ministry of Education. The new ministry was to concentrate on its central functions of developing policy for, and overseeing, the elementary and secondary school systems. At this time, responsibility for the culture function was transferred to the newly created Ministries of Colleges and Universities. As well, the Youth and Recreation Branch, along with the sports and recreation function, was transferred from the Department of Education to the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

Between 1972 and 1993, the Ministry experienced relatively frequent reorganizations in order to reflect the needs of an expanding population and an increasingly industrialized and urbanized society.

Starting in 1979, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities became the responsibility one Minister and one Deputy Minister, with one Administration Division.

Separate Ministers and Deputy Ministers were once again appointed for each Ministry, in mid-1985. Once more, however, for a brief period lasting from the spring to the fall of 1990, a single minister with one office administered both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

Agencies which reported to the Ministry of Education included the Council for Franco-Ontarian Education, the Education Relations Committee, the Languages of Instruction Commission, the Ontario Educational Services Corporation, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, the Provincial Schools Authority, the Teachers' Superannuation Commission, and the Teacher Education Council, Ontario.

In February, 1993, the Ministries of Education, Colleges and Universities, and Skills Development were combined into a single ministry known as the Ministry of Education and Training.

The Ministry of Education was responsible for overseeing the provision of elementary and secondary school education, and for determining general education policy in Ontario. Activities of the Ministry included providing broad guidelines for the curriculum of Ontario schools; approving the list of textbooks from which school boards make selections for schools; establishing requirements for student diplomas and certificates; setting requirements and issuing teaching certificates; distributing the funds allocated by the Legislature for assisting school boards with the costs of operating schools; and making regulations to govern the school year and holidays of students, the organization of schools, and the duties of teachers and school board officials.

Department of Education Act, Statutes of Ontario 1971, Chap. 111

Government Reorganization Act, Statutes of Ontario 1972, Chap. 1

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Bell, George and Andrew Pascoe. The Ontario Government, Structure and Functions (1986)

Canadiana Name Authorities, 1996-12- 24

KWIC Indexes, 1977-1992

Government of Ontario Telephone Directories, 1974-1993

Archivist(s):
G. Brown, S. Paquet, R. Stapleton, R. Anger