Education Reform Expectations - Question Period

MS. CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. When we look across Canada, we can learn from the experiences of other provinces. Ontario is the only province with both a college of teachers and a union that excludes principals and vice-principals. When the change was made in that province the result was a sharp increase in labour-related grievances.

British Columbia had a college of teachers and dismantled it as a failed experiment. Mr. Speaker, based on the evidence from other provinces, why does the minister think the result will be any different in Nova Scotia?

HON. ZACH CHURCHILL « » : Mr. Speaker, something that the member didn't mention is that in both of those provinces that have been two of the top three performing provinces when it comes to student achievement, they've actually seen increases in levels of student achievement. Those are the facts that we are concerned about. B.C. and Ontario have been first, second, and third in various years for student achievement.

Our focus, which is very different than the focus of the NDP, is on our kids and how well they are doing in making sure we have a system that is going to best support them.

MS. CHENDER « » : I'm going to try to conduct myself like an adult rather than a grown-up, Mr. Speaker, so I'll just continue with my question. Perhaps B.C. has the highest achievement outcomes because it has dismantled its College of Teachers, which was not leading to that result.

When the Mike Harris Progressive Conservatives in Ontario brought forward these changes in classrooms, the evidence shows that Ontario students collectively lost 25 million learning days, from protests, strikes, lockouts, and constant unpredictability. Evidence from the Program for International Student Assessment Data across OECD countries shows that what does produce positive results for students is having teachers who are respected and working in collaboration together with their peers, who also have administrative responsibilities.

Mr. Speaker, why isn't the minister learning from these examples instead of insisting on making the same old mistakes and scapegoating our children in the process?

MR. CHURCHILL « » : We are learning from the jurisdictions that are performing better than us year after year after year. That is why we're looking at models that fit this mould, Mr. Speaker.

Let's look at the argument that somehow our schools are going to become divisive because of a change in union membership. I'm sorry, but I have a lot more faith in our principals, in our VPs, and in our teachers - and know that the relationship goes much deeper than that union membership. I believe in them and in their ability to function in a professional way that always puts kids and learning first.


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