The head of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society (MTS) says the province’s plan to overhaul the education system fails to address several key areas of concern.
MTS President James Bedford says the organization representing Manitoba’s teachers has been supportive of the education review since it was first announced in January 2019.
Two years later, Bedford says the introduction of Bill 64 — the most extensive restructuring of Manitoba’s education system in decades — has left teachers feeling the most critical issues are not being addressed.
“Our members don’t see things in Bill 64 that improve learning for students in the classroom, it’s as simple as that. Where’s the connection between Bill 64 and students in the classroom? We just don’t see it.”
With a dramatic reduction in the number of school divisions — from 37 down to 15 regional bodies — the MTS president says the much greater role that school divisions play is being lost in the conversation.
Each community is different, says Bedford, adding "the concern that MTS members have with the wholesale elimination of what would appear to be virtually everything to do with school divisions and that governance” will cause difficulties addressing the unique needs of any particular community of schools.
“Teachers are very concerned about the future of education in schools. They don’t see this as a positive thing.”
Childhood Poverty Not Addressed In Bill 64, Says MTS President
Bedford says one of the most critical factors hindering classroom outcomes in Manitoba is the issue of childhood poverty.
“Children who come from impoverished backgrounds are at a deficit when it comes to the education system. It’s difficult for them to get to school. It’s difficult for them to remain engaged in a single school. They come to school hungry. They don’t have access to the levels of technology that other students have. I could go on.”
The province’s overhaul of the education system outline in Bill 64 does not address the issue of childhood poverty, says Bedford.
“What we really need to do is go back to look at what does the research tell is truly the greatest impediment — and the research points to poverty. You fix poverty and so many other things get fixed with it.”
Bedford gives the government credit for saying more work needs to be done. "But the way Manitoba’s teachers see it, is you need to address the most critical issues first."
"So if you want to improve classroom outcomes — address poverty. How does Bill 64 address poverty? It doesn’t.”
