COLUMN: View from the Legislature – NDP lowers the bar on education

For the past 15 years, University of Winnipeg math professor Anna Stokke has been a leading voice for improving the math outcomes for students in Manitoba. For too many years, Manitoba students have struggled compared to the rest of Canada on this fundamental skill. It has been something that Manitoba governments of all stripes have worked to try to improve, because it critically impacts the success and opportunities of young Manitobans.

Professor Stokke has correctly pointed out that there is no quick fix to improving math outcomes for students but that it must begin early, long before students reach the post-secondary level. One of the things that she advocated for was increasing the required number of math courses that those who wish to become teachers need to take in university. This would ensure that new teachers had stronger math knowledge when they inevitably were required to do some math instruction during their teaching career. Stokke and others were successful in 2015 getting the government to increase the required number of math courses in post-secondary for those wanting to become teachers from one to two.

The addition of one additional math course for those training to be teachers may not seem like much, and it wasn’t the only recommendation from Professor Stokke, but it was seen as an important step that would pay dividends for students down the road.

That is why Professor Stokke and many other Manitobans were shocked when the NDP government decided recently to remove the requirement for any math courses to be taken at the post-secondary level for those who want to become teachers. In fact, the NDP removed any requirement to take classes in math, science, languages, history or geography. According to Professor Stokke, not only is this a huge step backwards, but it also means Manitoba will now have the weakest requirements for teachers in Canada.

The NDP said they were very proud to remove these academic requirements because it would make it easier to become a teacher. That may be true, in the same way lowering the number of flight hours needed to become a pilot would make it easier to become one. It wouldn’t improve the outcome, but it would make it easier.

But the question that Manitobans have been left asking is where are the needs of the students in this equation? At a time when there is a growing understanding of the need for more focus on STEM classes (science, technology, engineering and math), the NDP seem to be wanting to go in the other direction.

This concerning decision by the NDP government comes at the same time they are defending cutting several school construction projects in Manitoba. In addition to cutting a number of new schools, they have also cancelled several much-needed school expansions, including in Grunthal. This means that in several schools in Manitoba, students are forced to learn in spaces not designed to be classrooms.

The NDP ran for office a year ago on making education a priority. Lowering teaching standards and cutting schools probably isn’t what Manitobans thought would be on the NDP priority list. Sadly, what hasn’t made it to the top of the priority list so far, is students.