The NDP government has announced plans to consult with school boards, parents and others on ways to improve education in Alberta.
There's no question that if the province is to thrive and grow in the years to come it will need a healthy and vibrant education system. Anything less will inevitably lead to social, economic and cultural problems that could become serious concerns for the community at large.
The consultations will include discussions on the future of the School Act, which governs education for hundreds of thousands of Alberta students.
Whether this latest consultation process will help make things better down the road remains to be seen. What is known is that residents will be expecting the input gathered through the process to be used for the long-term benefit of students.
For his part, Education Minister David Eggen says government is committed to heeding parent and other stakeholder input.
“Our government is working to making life better for students and their families,” said Eggen. “We committed that we would look at our current busing model and other areas of importance as we work to protect and improve education.
“Working together with our partners, we can make sure that our education legislation continues to serve our students as they prepare for their futures.”
Mary Martin, president, Alberta School Boards Association, said, “School boards are very interested in these issues as they have a direct impact on the delivery of education.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity to inform the direction that legislative change might take and to provide valuable input into the process in the best interest of Alberta families and their children.”
Alberta's young students are not able to affect the future of education through the political process – that is, they cannot elect trustees or MLAs.
As such the students must instead rely on parents, school boards and other stakeholders to move the education system forward through ongoing improvements and innovations.
Hopefully this new consultation process will, in the end, benefit all current and future students.
- Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor
