Solutions for Poor Students in Toronto
Like many cities in Canada and the world at large, Toronto has its share of negative attributes. One significant challenge in the city concerns the education system, mainly the prevalence of students from disadvantaged neighborhoods. Toronto can be described as the capital of child poverty in Canada since about one out of four children live in impoverished conditions (Social Planning Toronto, 2017). Education is a fundamental right to every child, but poverty hinders the educational progress of students from such conditions. In addition to RESP, there are government and private sponsored solutions for the betterment of students who live under impoverished circumstances in Toronto.
Student Nutrition Program
The city of Toronto established a nutrition program with the goal of ensuring that any student who is at risk of poor nutritional intake can have access to nutritious, sufficient as well as safe food during school days. The program, therefore, undertakes the provision of snacks and meals that are nutritious to students to provide them with energy and all the necessary nutrients for learning (City of Toronto, 2020). This program has managed to bring about the creation of healthier eating habits and the eventual reduction of the risk of chronic disease development at an early age (Social Planning Toronto, 2017). Since participation in the program is allowed regardless of socioeconomic status, students from poor homes can have access to healthy meals every school day. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Model Schools Paediatric Healthcare Initiative
Despite the indispensable need for quality health care, most students from low-income families hardly get access to good quality care as their parents cannot afford the care. Sections of both the public and private sectors identified this problem and came up with the Model Schools Paediatric Healthcare Initiative (MSPHI) program to make medical care accessible to all students in their local schools. (Toronto Foundation for Student Success, 2020 a). The initiative established its first clinic in 2010, and the number of clinics has risen to four by the year 2020. These clinics do not stop at providing emergency care but also do follow-ups and ensure that all students make it to their appointments.
Beyond 3:30
Children become more vulnerable during after school hours, which puts students from impoverished backgrounds at risk as most of them do not have places to go to or lack admittance to after school programs. This situation inspired the development of the Beyond 3:30 Program, which offers children aged 11 to 14 a welcoming and safe place where they have access to nutritious meals, sports, homework support, and physical fitness as well as financial literacy (Toronto Foundation for Student Success, 2020 b). These services are easily accessible and safe as the program operates on school premises. Beyond 3:30 program does not place any charges on its services, thus operating in a manner that works best for the safety and the general well-being of needy students.
Conclusion
One of the most alarming issues in Canada is the high number of children living under impoverished conditions in Toronto. Apart from the RESP program, there are other strategies for taking care of needy students in the city. The student nutrition program ensures that all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status, have access to healthy meals. On the other hand, the MSPHI program brings the necessary and much needed medical care to students at their local schools. Additionally, the Beyond 3:30 seeks to protect children, especially students from poorer backgrounds, from the potential vulnerabilities that exist during the after school hours.
References
City of Toronto. (2020). Student Nutrition Program. Retrieved from: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/health-wellness-care/health-programs-advice/student-nutrition-program/
Social Planning Toronto. (2017). Public Education and Human Development: Talking Access and Equity. Retrieved from: https://www.socialplanningtoronto.org/public_education_human_development
Toronto Foundation for Student Success. (2020) (a). Model Schools Paediatric Healthcare Initiative: Bringing Healthcare to our Children. Retrieved from: https://www.socialplanningtoronto.org/public_education_human_development
Toronto Foundation for Student Success. (2020) (b). Beyond 3:30. Retrieved from: https://tfss.ca/beyond-330/