Dear Editor
During the last presidential election in the United States, one of the Republican candidates (politicians who generally work to severely reduce the role of the government and reduce regulations on corporations) said he would immediately eliminate three government agencies: the U.S. Department of Education and two others that he couldn't remember at the time. That happened during a nationally televised debate, so he will be forever remembered for that.
That reminded me of the generally low opinion of the public education system that prevails there, especially amongst the ultra-conservative elements that currently comprise a very large part of the political scene in the United States, especially in the southern states (the old Confederacy). The low esteem for teachers and for public education extends to other parts of the country, too, but is not usually as pronounced there as in the south.
That kind of thinking has been lately creeping into Canada, so I am always heartened to read or hear of thoughts that show respect for our public education system in Canada. I read the Letter, "New Direction in Education," written to the Aug. 15 Regional Optimist by Janet Foord, president of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association, with some interest. I liked the idea of incorporating pre-kindergarten education as a part of the public school program through Grade 12. As she is the head of a school boards association, I can understand her emphasis on the importance of local control of public education, but I believe the federal and provincial governments also have an important role to play, especially in funding for education.
I am concerned, though, with the news that the Wall government is working on some new legislation for education in our province. There is always room for improvement, so I hope the end result will be some kind of real improvement, but I am afraid that the eventual legislation could - possibly with the best intentions - move our system in a wrong direction. By every possible means of measurement, including student testing, the public education systems in Canada are far superior to those in the United States, and I believe our system in Saskatchewan is the best in Canada, though far from perfect. Still, I am puzzled by the keenness with which many in Canada leap aboard educational fads wafting up from below our border. And I am troubled by the rather quiet approach the Wall government is taking towards informing the public of their planning.
I have a suggestion. Why not try to find out what the Finns are doing right with their system of education? Their students consistently score amongst the top three countries in the world in the major categories of educational achievement.
Russell Lahti
Battleford
