I guess it's my feeling, but my sense is even if we are providing this information, which we know we are collecting internally, to the school boards and to the school districts for their use, that is hardly any indication that the public would become aware of how we are doing. I think sometimes we may be improving; we may not. The results may not be what we would like to see, but I think it's important that we talk about them because if communities are going to take ownership of this problem, they have to sense that there is a problem. If we are falling behind other jurisdictions in the number of students who are graduating or in our performance on these departmental exam results, which is something we can easily compare to Alberta, this is something we have to start talking about. I think it's just dialogue that has to start at the community level because that's where ownership of problems, if there are problems, can be taken. I think it takes the entire community pulling together to make sure students are successful. It can't be left up to teachers, it can't be left up to individual families. The community leadership can play a large role in trying to encourage students to do better and improve their efforts on these exams. So what I am looking for is some indication from the Minister that the department believes it's important for communities to see these results and take ownership of problems, if there are problems. I think that the transparency that is required here, in my mind, mandates the department to take up these issues with the communities and to play a lead role in trying to have communities come to grips with the shortcomings, if there any, in our exam results. Thank you.
Brendan Bell on General Comments
In the Legislative Assembly on February 25th, 2003. See this statement in context.
General Comments
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 24th, 2003
Page 319
See context to find out what was said next.