FREDERICTON – The New Brunswick government has released a discussion paper and announced a series of open houses to gather public input as it develops a new 10-year education plan.
Karen Power, co-chair of the committee responsible for development of the plan says New Brunswick residents need to join the conversation to develop the plan for the future of education in the province.
In 2014, the Conference Board of Canada gave New Brunswick a “D” grade in its first How Canada Performs: Education and Skills report card.
“I think both of us would tell you that we’ve taken on an enormous task,” Power said, referencing herself and Gino LeBlanc as co-chairs of the plan.
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New Brunswickers haven’t seen much progress on the plan until now. LeBlanc and Power say they took on the task just a couple of months ago.
“As far as I understand, the actual education that now exists, ends in 2016, so that’s sort of our target, is that those two plans have to sink into each other,” said LeBlanc.
A series of open houses will be held in communities across the province to allow people to learn about the education system and make suggestions for change.
Separate sessions will be held with First Nations communities.
“It might not mean adding more to the system, it might mean what to take out of the system,” said Power. “We have so many pockets of great work being done and then we have inconsistencies.”
The sessions begin next week and run until early November. The co-chairs are hoping to have recommendations for the Minister by early spring.
The plan could potentially be in place by the 2016-2017 school year.
With files from The Canadian Press
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