Canada – Province of Ontario introduces mandatory Holocaust education

Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education
Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education

As Ontario marks Holocaust Education Week, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, today unveiled a series of reforms to combat rising antisemitism across Ontario schools, including the introduction of mandatory Holocaust learning for the first time in elementary schools.

“We are taking action to counter antisemitism and hate, because those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. “With antisemitism on the rise, we are introducing mandatory Holocaust education in elementary schools, expanding resources and strengthening anti-hate training for Ontario students, educators, and families.”

Antisemitic events are on the rise in schools across Ontario, with over 50 incidents involving antisemitic hate symbols occurring in the Toronto District School Board alone in the 2021-22 school year. According to the first study of antisemitism and Holocaust knowledge, conducted by Western University and Liberation75 in 2021, 42 per cent of students surveyed said they have unequivocally witnessed an antisemitic event. This study also found that one in three students think the Holocaust was fabricated, exaggerated or are unsure if it actually happened.

The Ontario government is announcing actions to counter this hate:

  • Ontario will implement its first mandatory learning requirement in elementary school on Holocaust education in the Grade 6 curriculum to help younger students gain a deeper understanding of the significance of the Holocaust.
  • The Ministry of Education will work with the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) to develop professional learning, also known as an Additional Qualification, for teachers so they can further support efforts to educate students on the Holocaust.

Currently, mandatory learning about the Holocaust and other acts of genocide are included in the Grade 10 Canadian History Since World War I course. The revised Grade 6 Social Studies curriculum, which is part of Ontario’s continued modernization of the curriculum, will be implemented in September 2023.

Ontario is also investing in community partnerships to help students learn about historical and present-day discrimination and how to identify and address hate. These initiatives include:

  • The launch of the Antisemitism Classroom Toolkit, designed by the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, to provide parents and educators content and learning strategies to combat antisemitism.
  • Introduction of Unlearn Antisemitism, developed by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), a resource hub for educators and parents to learn about, identify, and take action to address antisemitism.
  • Promotion of Antisemitism resources and guides to support parents and students from the United Jewish Appeal (UJA) Federation.
  • $140,000 to Liberation75 to provide Holocaust/antisemitism education resources for educators and supports for students.
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