Natasha Ali | Contributor
Featured image: Gurdeep Singh Jagpal credits his fifth year in high school as the reason he was able to get into York. | Dina Hassan
Gurdeep Singh Jagpal, a York graduate, has kickstarted a campaign demanding the elimination of the 34-credit cap in Ontario high schools.
The cap was implemented by the Ontario Ministry of Education in 2013 with the aim of encouraging students to graduate and move on to the next stage of their lives after four years.
Currently, students are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits to complete their high school diploma, but many stay for an extra year to better their grades and prepare themselves for post-secondary options.
In the 2010-2011 school year, over 20,000 students who had graduated high school after four years returned for at least an additional semester.
As courses often count for one credit, the cap is seen as a significant limitation to those who wish to take further courses.
Jagpal emphasises how his experiences of an extra year—also known as a “victory lap”—compelled him to start the petition.
“Many of my friends and colleagues would later find success because of the fact that they did come back an extra year. I was able to get into York because I had improved my grades,” he says.
Now a masters student at Carleton University, Jagpal feels that not only did an extra year allow him to boost his grades, it also gave him the opportunity to make new friends and gain new experiences.
“I found it unfair that current high school students would not have the same opportunities that I had, which made me want to fight for this cause,” he states.
The petition has garnered a mixed reception from members of the public, with many affirming that high school students should be able to finish high school in four years.
In addition to this, some are concerned about the potential burden an extra year in high school may have on taxpayers, with students not bearing individual responsibility for the cost.
Despite this, the petition, which is being run in collaboration with MPP Jagmeet Singh, has gained support from a number of people.
“Some of those in favour of the petition tended to have a personal experience with the victory lap as well,” concludes Jagpal.
Once the petition has received 100 signatures, Jagpal and Singh plan to present it to the Ontario Legislature for discussion. A decision will then be made by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
