Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia
[permission to reproduce granted if
authorship is acknowledged]
Parents
seeking programs that they believe are in the “best interests” of their own children
sometimes act as if the education they seek is a private benefit. In seeking an
education that is in a child’s or grandchild’s best interest it is easy for
parents or grandparents to lose sight of why public schools are public.
If
education were primarily a private benefit, it would not be something supported
by governments; it would be left to families to determine the why, the what,
and the how of educating the young. But in enrolling their children in public
school they do not have that discretion.
Governments
provide for schooling because it is a public good, something of benefit to
everyone. Few people read the legislation establishing public schools but doing
so is instructive. The purposes of education are often set out in a public
schools or education act that is readily accessible.
The
Public Schools Act in Manitoba, for example, proclaims that “a strong public
school system is a fundamental element of a democratic society.”[i]
Alberta’s act simply says, “Education is the foundation of a democratic and
civil society.”[ii] Ontario’s act declares
that “a strong public education system is the foundation of a prosperous,
caring and civil society.”[iii]
Despite differences in the way it is expressed, the contribution of schooling
to a democratic, civil society is among public education’s paramount purposes.
Several
acts speak specifically about the active connection between public schooling
and the health, prosperity, and well-being of society. Manitoba says that “public
schools should contribute to the development of a fair, compassionate, healthy
and prosperous society.”[iv]
Nova Scotia describes that the primary mandate of its publicly funded school
system is “to provide education programs and services for students to enable
them to develop their potential and acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes
needed to contribute to a healthy society and a prosperous and sustainable economy.”[v]
In
the context of setting out the purposes of public schooling, the various
statements of purpose refer to individual students. However, they make clear
that the development of the individual is in service to the [re]creation of
society. Some are quite explicit about the link between the student and the
student’s social contribution. Alberta, for example, states “the role of
education is to develop engaged thinkers who think critically and creatively
and ethical citizens who demonstrate respect, teamwork and democratic ideals
and who work with an entrepreneurial spirit to face challenges with resiliency,
adaptability, risk-taking and bold decision-making.”[vi]
In
addition to the general references to democracy and civil society, some statements
of purpose are more specific. British Columbia’s School Act says that
educational programs are “designed to enable learners to become literate, to
develop their individual potential and to acquire the knowledge, skills and
attitudes needed to contribute to a healthy, democratic and pluralistic society
and a prosperous and sustainable economy.”[vii]
BC complements its School Act with a ministerial order devoted to the mandate of
the school system that provides the rationale for the emphasis on social and
economic goals:
Continued progress toward our social and economic goals as a province depends upon well-educated people who have the ability to think clearly and critically, and to adapt to change. Progress toward these goals also depends on educated citizens who accept the tolerant and multi-faceted nature of Canadian society and who are motivated to participate actively in our democratic institutions.[viii]
The
BC ministerial order makes clear that individuals have an obligation to
contribute to the development of that society, and specifies that the
educational program is designed to produce citizens who are:
· thoughtful, able to learn and to think critically, and who can communicate information from a broad knowledge base;
· creative, flexible, self-motivated and who have a positive self-image;
· capable of making independent decisions;
· skilled and who can contribute to society generally, including the world of work;
· productive, who gain satisfaction through achievement and who strive for physical well being;
· cooperative, principled and respectful of others regardless of differences;
· aware of the rights and prepared to exercise the responsibilities of an individual within the family, the community, Canada, and the world.[i]
The public schools or education acts and related policies make clear that education is instrumental in developing the knowledge, values, and behaviours that citizens need to maintain a socially cohesive and productive society. The territory of Nunavut is perhaps the most explicit about the importance of the education system in preserving Inuit values and traditional knowledge.
It is the responsibility of the Minister, the district education authorities and the education staff to ensure that Inuit societal values and the principles and concepts of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit are incorporated throughout, and fostered by, the public education system.[x]
The
principles and concepts of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit define what it means to be a
citizen in Nunavut:
•
Respecting
others, relationships and caring for people (Inuuqatigiitsiarniq);
•
Fostering
good spirit by being open, welcoming and inclusive (Tunnganarniq);
•
Serving
and providing for family or community, or both (Pijitsirniq);
•
Decision
making through discussion and consensus (Aajiiqatigiinniq);
•
Development
of skills through practice, effort and action (Pilimmaksarniq or Pijariuqsarniq);
•
Working
together for a common cause (Piliriqatigiinniq or Ikajuqtigiinniq);
•
Being
innovative and resourceful (Qanuqtuurniq); and
•
Respect
and care for the land, animals, and the environment (Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq)
The
curricula of the provinces and territories are intended to express what
students must know and be able to do to prepare for adult citizenship. Public
schooling benefits all of us by making sure that each student is prepared for adult
citizenship. Public schooling is not about you or me, but about us.
[i] Manitoba, The Public Schools Act C.C.S.M. c. P250,
[ii] Alberta, Education Act, Statutes of Alberta, 2012 c. E-0.3
[iii] Ontario, Education Act, RSO 1990, c. E.2
[iv] Manitoba, Ibid.
[v] Nova Scotia, Education Act,
[vi] Alberta, Ibid
[vii] British Columbia School Act, RSBC 1996
[viii] British
Columbia, Statement of Education Policy Order, OIC 1280/89
[ix] Ibid.
[x] Nunavut, Education Act, S.Nu. 2008