About two dozen former Robert Land Academy students gathered at Queen's Park in Toronto on Thursday to demand better regulation of Ontario's private schools as the closed military-style school faces allegations of abuse. Their calls for change came after a CBC News investigation into allegations of historic physical and emotional abuse, and in some cases sexual exploitation, at the Wellandport private school.
The number of private schools collapsing into administration has doubled in the first half of this year, as the government's VAT changes bite into the sector's finances. Figures released by risk advisory firm Kroll show that 12 private schools went into administration between January and July, compared with six during the same period last year. Four of those failures occurred in July alone, raising fears that closures could accelerate further.
A report by the social mobility charity Sutton Trust indicates that independent schools, often in wealthier areas, possess greater resources and can afford to invest in more sophisticated AI solutions.
