The New Brunswick government has begun public consultations to guide the development of its new long-term education plans.
A discussion paper released by the province on Friday said creating a stable and qualified workforce “must be our top priority.”
Heidi Ryder, the new president of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association, said they could not agree more with that sentiment.
“Nothing matters more to student success than having qualified and supported teachers and well-resourced schools,” Ryder told reporters.
Ryder noted that around 1,400 teachers are preparing to leave the anglophone system in the coming years, and only about one in two bachelor of education students are staying to teach in the province.
Other areas of focus for the anglophone plan include refocusing on learning, enhancing learning environments, addressing well-being and transforming the education system.
The province also provided an overview of results from the current 10-year education plans, which were released back in 2016.
It noted that 24 of 55 data points have shown improvement, 23 have declined and eight measures have no data or were not tracked.
“Feedback clearly indicates fewer measures should be selected and monitored in the next education plan,” said the provincial discussion paper.
“There was an emphasis on the need to prioritize literacy, numeracy, and well-being with reasonable, yet ambitious, targets for improvement. The emphasis needs to be on accountability rather than aspirational goals.”
Ryder, who has spent 25 years in the education system, said it is important for the province to frame the outcomes that it wants to aspire to.
“Where do we want to put our attention, and then give teachers that respect as professionals to lead once we’ve decided what they are. It’s really about prioritizing what’s important,” she added.
Consultations are expected to last throughout the fall. It will include separate discussion papers and surveys for the anglophone and francophone sectors to reflect their unique realities and specific needs.
Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Claire Johnson said these new plans will play major roles in the direction of New Brunswick education for years to come.
“Education, at its core, is about collaboration – about dialogue – so it’s only natural that we get everyone in on this conversation. I encourage all New Brunswickers to participate and have a part in this important project,” Johnson said in a news release.
The new plans will be released next spring and will encompass the early learning and child-care sector, as well as the kindergarten-to-Grade 12 public school system.
