Education and Early Childhood Development
March 07, 2017

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Dale Kirby, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development:

Minister Recognizes Completion of Public Consultations by the Premier’s Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the committed efforts of the Premier’s Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes. The task force was launched in November as one of more than 50 initiatives included in The Way Forward, which is our government’s vision for sustainability and growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The task force includes four distinguished education experts: Dr. Alice Collins, Dr. Marian Fushell, Dr. David Philpott and Dr. Margaret Wakeham.

From January 30 to March 2, public consultations were held throughout the province which included meetings with teachers, high school students, members of the public and stakeholder groups. In addition, there is an online option for submissions which will be available until March 20 at www.ptfnl.ca.

Mr. Speaker, the task force is examining the K-12 education system and considering a number of priority areas in education, including: early learning; mathematics; reading and literacy; inclusive education; student mental health and wellness; multicultural education; cooperative education; indigenous education; and teacher education and professional development.

The Premier’s Task Force will provide recommendations to assist government in developing an Education Action Plan that will guide and support 21st century learning and educational opportunities for the students of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we are committed to providing the best possible education system for our students and we will continue to work collaboratively with our stakeholders to improve student performance.

I ask all Honourable members of this House to join me in thanking everyone who has taken advantage of the opportunity to share their opinions during these consultations, and in recognizing the members of the task force for their dedicated work.

2017 03 07                              1:50 p.m.