January 4, 1996
(Executive Council)
Legislation on educational
reform
Premier Clyde Wells today received confirmation from the Prime Minister, the
Honourable Jean Chretien, that the federal government intends to proceed
with the amendment to Term 17 of the Newfoundland Terms of Union. In a
letter to the Premier, the Prime Minister said: "I expect that the
government will be in a position to table it in Parliament once the House
reconvenes in February."
Premier Wells said that the provincial
government is ready to proceed now with legislation providing for a major
restructuring of the education system in Newfoundland and Labrador.
"This will enable the province to create an education system which is
second to none in the world," said the Premier. "It will provide
our children with the opportunity to compete with children from across
Canada and throughout the world. As we continue the rapid movement to a true
global economy it is imperative that our children are prepared to compete on
a level playing field in what is becoming a highly competitive world,"
said Premier Wells.
The legislation is designed to bring about
reforms, along the lines recommended by the Williams Royal Commission and
subsequently endorsed by the people of the province in the referendum of
September 5, 1995.
Premier Wells says the proposed legislation
has been carefully drafted after several years of public consultation and
input from people throughout the province. He pointed out that government
has made every attempt to accommodate the concerns of all our citizens,
church leaders and educators before reaching a final position on the new
legislation. In particular, the legislation addresses the rights of students
and parents, increased participation of parents in schools through school
councils, emphasis on high standards and expectations, the need for
increased instructional time, and increased public accountability for
schools and school boards. The Premier says he is confident that many of the
significant reforms recommended by the Williams' Commission will be in place
for the school year beginning in September 1996.
- The main features of the proposed new
legislation are:
- The current 27 denominational school
boards will be replaced by 10 regional inter-denominational boards, each
serving all schools in an area of the province.
- School boards will be fully elected, with
10 denominational representatives and five persons of no declared
denominational affiliation.
- All schools will have to be viable, in
accordance with specific criteria. Schools in small isolated communities
will be provided with extra support to ensure their viability. Other
non-viable schools will be consolidated.
- Most schools will become
inter-denominational, with students of all faiths having a right to
attend. Where there is demand, and where numbers warrant, schools for
specific denominations or denominational groups will continue to exist.
A registration process will be conducted by school boards to determine
the demand for inter-denominational and uni-denominational schools. The
main impact on teachers is that, except for uni-denominational schools,
teachers will no longer be hired or dismissed on denominational grounds.
School boards will also be required to attempt to place in other schools
teachers who are dismissed from a uni-denominational school for
denominational reasons.
- The Denominational Education Councils will
be replaced by a single inter-denominational body with primary
responsibility for religious education.
- A School Construction Board will be
established, with responsibility for approving proposals for school
construction or major renovation, based on province-wide priorities.
- School boards will continue to have
primary responsibility for delivery of education programs and services
within their regions. However, parents will be given more say in the
operation of schools through the formation of school councils.
- The performance of all schools will be
reviewed periodically by an external assessment body which will report
to the public.
- The confidentiality of student files will
be protected, and the rights of parents (and students of majority age)
of access to files and interpretation of information in files will be
assured.
- Explicit rules, including appeal rights,
will be established for the suspension and/or expulsion of students from
school.
- It is the intent of government that the
school year will consist of 195 days, an increase of five days from the
current year. A total of 185 days have been defined as instructional,
which will require activities within the prescribed curriculum. Days
lost due to weather or other causes will be made up within the school
year.
- The intent of this legislation is to
increase the school day from a minimum of five hours to a minimum of 5
1/2 hours for all except primary school students. For students in grades
1 to 3 the day has been increased from a minimum of four to a minimum of
five hours.
- Provisions have been made for the
establishment of Francophone and Aboriginal schools and for alternative
schools of a specialized nature where numbers warrant and demand exists.
- Provisions have been made for the
establishment of private schools and for home schooling.
Premier Wells says the legislation will be
introduced in the House of Assembly when it resumes sitting later this
month. Government has agreed with the NLTA not to bring the provision
relating to the length of the school year or the length of the school day,
and the provision relating to term appointments for school principals,
before the legislature until there has been adequate time to conduct
collective bargaining with the NLTA.
Contact: Judy M. Foote, (709) 729-3570.
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