EDMONTON – Alberta NDP Education Critic Deron Bilous questioned Education Minister Jeff Johnson about the stakeholders included in the consortiums helping develop the curriculum redesign.
“Curriculum sets out the basic learning objectives for children in our province,” said Bilous, during Question Period on Wednesday.
“In the past, curriculum for Alberta students has been designed by teachers, parents, school boards and experts. This time, oil and gas companies have been awarded the title stakeholders and key education partners, allowing them to shape what is taught in our schools.”
Bilous argues there’s a difference between getting input from parents and having oil and gas companies making the final decisions.
“Alberta’s NDP are in favour of children learning about Alberta and its natural resources, but allowing corporations to decide what kids learn in grade school is dead wrong.”
READ MORE: Alberta Education’s Curriculum Development Prototyping Partners
Johnson responded by saying that industry is just one voice of many providing input as part of the redesign prototype process.
“We actually want to take it out into the community and let everyone who has a state in education be a part of that dialogue,” he said.
“It’s still going to be led by teachers, it’s still going to be led by educators and those school boards, but we do want to hear from parents, and we do want to hear from students, and we do want the First Nations and the Métis to have some input in this as well.”
“And we want to hear from the economy, from the employers. Some of those are oil and gas companies,” said Johnson.
The education minister told Global News earlier in March that the curriculum redesign will take two years to develop.
READ MORE: Education Minister touts Alberta’s curriculum redesign
“We’re doing that through consortiums – that are the school boards, parent groups, business community, teachers from the classroom – right across the province.”
“We’re actually going to the field and getting teachers to build this with us and for us, alongside of parents and the business community,” said Johnson.
He said the consortiums will be working on different grades and different subjects and will develop prototypes for the redesign.
“If we don’t have it right, if parents don’t like it, we won’t implement it.”
Bilous and Johnson continued to debate the issue on Twitter on Thursday.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) released a statement on Thursday regarding curriculum redesign.
“Teachers played an active role in the Inspiring Education consultations and are committed to achieving successful transformation in public education,” said ATA President Mark Ramsankar.
“Curriculum redesign is a key piece of the transformation. Teachers are encouraged by the prospect of curriculum that puts student learning first by emphasizing the foundational competencies while providing more local flexibility.”
To view the ATA declaration on curriculum development and implementation, click here.
For more on Alberta Education’s curriculum redesign, click here.
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