The province’s Minister of Education says she is “deeply troubled” by the drowning death of a Toronto teen while on a school trip to Algonquin Park and has called on the ministry to conduct a full review of all school board policies surrounding outdoor “education and excursions.”

Mitzie Hunter’s announcement comes just one day after the Toronto District School Board revealed that 15-year-old Jeremiah Perry did not pass a mandatory swim test prior to embarking on a July 4 trip that ended tragically.

Perry was swimming with classmates in Big Trout Lake when he disappeared under the water and did not resurface. His body was found the next day.

The school board confirmed yesterday that 15 of the 32 students who attended the trip were not recorded as having passed the mandatory swimming proficiency test. Perry was also not documented as having completed a second requirement – a series of swimming lessons – for having failed the first test.

“It’s very troubling to me that the procedures were not followed in this instance and I know that the TDSB is currently doing review of its policies, they’ve already made changes to ensure that they have those policies and procures in place in terms of being compliant with those rules,” Hunter said. “But I believe the ministry needs to do a review to ensure that not only are the policies are in place but that there is compliance with those policies.”

Hunter also vowed to increase funding to the Lifesaving Society and Swim to Survive programs, placing a “particular emphasis on newcomers” to ensure they have such “critical skills” like swimming.

She went on to say that she met with Perry’s family to express her condolences, saying that “no family should have to go through this.”

“I had an opportunity to share my thoughts with the Perry family. It should not have happened. No family, no parent should experience the loss of a child in this way,” Hunter said. “What I have heard with respect to what the TDSB has so far uncovered is troubling to me. That’s one of the reasons why we will do an investigation through the ministry in terms of our school boards, ensuring that they have policies and procedures in place for these types of outdoor excursions. It’s a terrible incident that has occurred.”

The review will “commence right away,” Hunter said, and will include a full evaluation of the ratio of students to adults on outdoor field trips.

TDSB director John Malloy announced yesterday that the board has implemented new measures, effective immediately, to ensure tragic situations like Perry’s don’t happen again.

The new measures include that the principal of any school preparing to go on an outdoor field trip be required to authorize that students have passed mandatory tests before allowing them to go.

As well, the parents of any students participating in a pre-trip test will be given the results of the tests prior to the trip.

“I want to ensure that there are appropriate resources in place for these types of activities and that there are mechanisms for compliance,” she said.

“I know how important it is that outdoor education and these types of activities are available to students in Ontario and I want to ensure that the safety of students is of top priority and ensuring that an incident like his never happens again.”