Parents, Teachers Give Victoria Failing Grade on Report Card Consultations
Prince George, B.C. – Prince George parents wanting to give the provincial government feedback on the future of report cards will have to do so online.
Victoria has announced 10 community meetings across the province in a bid to gather public feedback – and the only northern cities on the list are Dawson Creek (Nov. 24) and Terrace (Nov. 28).
The new report cards follow the new curriculum rolled out in September for Kindergarten to grade 9 students across the province. The Province says it plans to gather the feedback and share its plan next June.
The absence of a meeting in Prince George, home to the school district with the most students in the north, has left parents fuming.
“Well quite frankly as a parent in Prince George I’m quite disgusted that if I want to attend one of these meetings, I’m going to have to drive to Terrace or Dawson Creek in November,” says Gillian Burnett, chairperson of the Prince George District Advisory Council.
“Not exactly appealing. In terms of report cards, it seems we don’t really know what’s happening, we can’t get a definitive answer.”
She adds giving online feedback just isn’t the same as doing so in person.
“Dialogue can provide more thought so of course, going to a meeting where you can hear others is always great.”
Prince George District Teachers’ Association president Richard Giroday isn’t impressed either.
“It’s a terrible disappointment. I just can’t believe that Prince George is not going to be one of these 10 communities. It’s just in keeping with the rest of the little and big mistakes the ministry seems to continuously make.”
“We talk about cutbacks in education, but they also affect the ministry too as well. The ministry is short staffed of people.”
250News contacted the ministry to find out why Prince George has been left off the list and received the following statement:
“Unfortunately we were unable to have sessions in every community in BC – with the time and cost limitations. We hope that parents who cannot attend of the 10 sessions will fill out the online feedback from at http://engage.gov.bc.ca/yourkidsprogress/communitymeetings/.
“We tried to cover as many regions as possible, but with a province as large as BC a limited number of sessions, it’s very difficult to get close to everyone. All feedback received during this engagement process will be considered as a final report is produced following the consultations.”
The deadline for online feedback is February 28, 2017 at 4 p.m.
Comments
Being from Dawson Creek that would be why a meeting there.But otherwise since he took over this Ministry the only people Mr Bernier meets with are Special Interest Group’s.
So why should anyone be surprised that; “We tried to cover as many regions as possible, but with a province as large as BC a limited number of sessions, it’s very difficult to get close to everyone.”?
This is coming from a public service in BC that is the smallest in Canada!!! So now we can plainly see the impact a small public service sector is having in “limiting public consultation” for public education, and all other programs of provincial governance. Add to this the undermining of authority of local school boards of education, and the centralization of power and decision making in Victoria, and you will get this “top down approach” to decision making every time.
Right wing ideology of a leaner, smaller, government meets with reality here!
.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/bc%E2%80%99s-public-sector-smallest-canada-public-services-short-staffed
“This is coming from a public service in BC that is the smallest in Canada!!!”
LOL. If BC’s 410,00 public service people represent the smallest number of public employees in Canada, this country is in a lot of trouble. Places like Manitoba with it’s 1.3 million people have more then 410 000 public servants? Every adult in the province works for the government? I need a money tree like theirs.
JGalt. BC has the third largest Public Service in Canada, after Ontario, and Quebec, so not sure where you get your info from.
You should change your name to **twister** because you tend to twist the facts on everything you comment on.
Spin it Palopu, spin it! Not sure where I get my info from? How about following the link I included in my comment, but of course you provide no source for us to verify your comment… typical Con.
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