The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and his team of ministers, today released an Education Action Plan. The plan, which guides actions to implement the recommendations from the Premier’s Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes, will result in a strengthened education system that is more responsive to the needs of students.

The Education Action Plan specifies timelines and responsibilities for implementation of the task force’s 82 recommendations. The recommendations focus on nine areas in the education system: mental health and wellness, inclusive education, mathematics, reading, Indigenous education, multicultural education, co-operative education, early years, and teacher education and professional development.

The Education Action Plan will provide significant benefits to students and teachers, some of which include:

• Increased allocations to the school system as a result of funding for several recommendations, including: new reading specialists in schools and at the district office; new mathematics specialists at the school districts to support K-6 teachers; new teaching and learning assistants to support curriculum delivery; and increases in the allocation of teacher librarians and English as a second language teachers.
• Substantial opportunities, in a wide range of areas, for teachers and educational specialists across the K-12 system to engage in professional learning.
• In addition to enhanced student outcomes in mathematics and reading, the timelines committed to the Action Plan will ensure enhanced outcomes for early learners (birth to five) and for all students in the areas of mental health and wellness, Indigenous education, and multicultural education.

Implementation of the 82 recommendations will occur in three phases:

• Short-term: 31 recommendations will be completed or substantially underway within year one (22 recommendations in this phase have been completed or adopted to date);
• Medium-term: an additional 40 recommendations will be completed or substantially underway within years two to four (by September 2021); and
• Long-term: the remaining 11 recommendations will be completed or substantially underway by year five (by September 2022).

The timelines committed to the Action Plan will ensure enhanced outcomes for early learners, birth to five years of age, and for all students in the areas of mental health and wellness, Indigenous education, and multicultural education.

The plan’s development was informed by significant engagement by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development with the many partners in education, including school districts, the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association and Memorial University.

The Education Action Plan is available at www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/EAP-report.pdf

Supporting education delivers on commitments in The Way Forward to strengthen the province’s economic foundation and deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca

Quotes
“The Education Action Plan reflects our commitment to enhancing the performance of our province’s education system. We want to ensure that all our children have access to safe, caring and inclusive learning environments and an education system that is more responsive to students’ strengths and needs. Thank you to everyone that contributed to this extensive and important piece of work.”
Honourable Dwight Ball
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

“I look forward to the implementation of the Education Action Plan. This plan will help improve the learning experience for students, prepare them for the future and be responsive to an evolving educational environment. Students located throughout our province deserve the best possible opportunity to receive a high quality education and the implementation of the Action Plan will assist us in ensuring this happens.”
Honourable Al Hawkins
Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development

“The release of the Education Action Plan will address hopes of those who participated in the Premiers’ Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes. Parents, teachers, students and the general public expressed their expectations for the highest standards of educational outcomes and the Educational Action Plan reflects those aspirations.”
Dr. Alice Collins
Chair, Premier’s Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes

Le ministre Ball publie le Plan d’action en matière d’éducation

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Learn More

Education Action Plan: www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/EAP-report.pdf 

Education Action Plan Video: youtu.be/flwzTY-W-Cw 

The Premier’s Task Force on Educational Outcomes report, Now is the Time: www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/task_force/report.pdf 

Premier Announces Appointments to Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes: gov.nl.ca/releases/2016/exec/1108n05.aspx

Budget 2018: Education, Skills and Childhood Development:www.budget.gov.nl.ca/budget2018/highlights/education_skills_childhood_development.pdf 

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL  and @EDU_GovNL 

Media contacts
Michelle Cannizzaro
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
michellecannizzaro@gov.nl.ca

Debbie Marnell
Education and Early Childhood Development
709-729-1906, 689-9048
debbiemarnell@gov.nl.ca

Dr. Alice Collins
Chair
Premier’s Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes
AliceC@mun.ca