Education System Administration Review Timeline - Question Period

MS. CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Education. Yesterday we learned the very knowledgeable expert Dr. Avis Glaze has been hired to conduct an education system administrative review. Say that three times fast. We were told that the report from Dr. Glaze, who will remain based in British Columbia, could be expected on New Year's Eve. Both Dr. Glaze and the minister said that they were coming to this review with an open mind and were interested in listening to all stakeholders.

Mr. Speaker, given the need for extensive regional need for consultation on this issue, how does the minister expect the report to be completed with the proposed timeline?

HON. ZACH CHURCHILL « » : In fact, it was Dr. Glaze herself who had suggested she would able to meet the timeline that our government had suggested. She is a very dedicated person who brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this and I know that Nova Scotians and our education system are really going to benefit from her work in this province on this file.

MS. CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, in this government's first mandate, they commissioned the Freeman report which made recommendations in 2015. The final report from the Commission on Inclusive Education is due in March 2018. Extensive consultations on pre-Primary will begin in the next few weeks. And as we just discussed, Dr. Glaze's report is due on December 31st of this year. We were told in Estimates no money is currently budgeted to address the findings from all of these reports and consultation, many if not all of which will have significant cost implications. Will the minister explain why his department is taking such an uncoordinated approach to such serious issues?

MR. CHURCHILL « » : In fact, this is a comprehensive and coordinated approach to education. Everything that we are doing is geared towards student success and achievement. We are looking at the model of inclusion which has created challenges in our education system, we are looking at the classroom conditions that teachers have told us take away from their time to teach, and we are looking at early education which we know is absolutely critical to student success.

Of course, it is incumbent upon us to look at ourselves and how we administer that system. We are doing all these things because we have high ambitions for our children. We want to make sure our government and every aspect in this department is doing its very best for them.


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