The province has released a new Education Action Plan, which replaces the highly contested Bill 64 that was proposed last year and then scrapped in fall.

Education and Early Learning Childhood Minister Wayne Ewasko says this plan considers public feedback as well as recommendations from the Manitoba Commission on Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education.

"Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning will use this action plan to guide our work in partnership with education stakeholders for the foreseeable future,” Ewasko says. “As a living, breathing document the action plan will be updated as needed, and as priorities shift and change, new actions may be added.”

Ewasko notes that there will not be any changes to the current model for school trustees.

“Based on public feedback to date, work is not proceeding on three of the commission recommendations including changes to the school trustee model and other governance changes,” he says.

Ewasko adds the provincial government believes this new action plan includes all the elements necessary to achieve changes and improvements.

"By continuing to work together, we can realize a system where equity and excellence exists in every school, in every classroom for every student. A vision where all Manitoba students succeed, no matter where they live, their backgrounds, or their circumstances.”

Ewasko says this action plan is focused on strengthening the public education system in Manitoba.

Press Release from the Manitoba Government

The Manitoba government has launched the Manitoba K to 12 Education Action Plan in response to 75 recommendations from the Manitoba Commission on Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education, Education and Early Learning Childhood Minister Wayne Ewasko announced today.

“All children deserve a high-quality education and our government is committed to strengthening and improving education in the province,” said Ewasko. “This action plan redefines our focus on actions that improve educational outcomes with student achievement and well-being at the centre of all planning and decisions. Based on public feedback to date, work is not proceeding on three of the commission recommendations including changes to the school trustee model and other governance changes.”

The action plan is focused on ensuring access to high-quality, equitable education, preparing students for their future, supporting excellence in teaching and leadership, and strengthening the public education system in Manitoba, noted the minister.

The action plan has four pillars for student success:

-High-Quality Learning: to improve learning and outcomes for students through responsive and relevant curriculum and learning experiences in safe and inclusive learning environments.

-Student Engagement and Well-Being: to respond to diverse life experiences, engage students, promote well-being, support successful transitions and leverage inter-sectoral partnerships.

-Excellence in Teaching and Leadership: to ensure teachers, school staff and leaders have the knowledge, skills and tools to support student achievement and well-being.

-Responsive Systems: to ensure an equitable, aligned and effective public education system that focuses on engagement, inclusion and planning for provincial and local needs.

The minister noted work on many of the priority actions is already underway or completed, with work on other priority actions scheduled to begin over the next two years.

In January 2019, the Manitoba government established the Manitoba Commission on Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education to undertake the largest and most comprehensive independent review of the kindergarten to Grade 12 education system since 1959. The commission was tasked with making recommendations to improve student outcomes, ensure long-term sustainability and enhance public confidence in Manitoba’s education system. In total, there were more than 2,500 written submissions and briefs, over 10,000 survey responses from teachers and the public, as well as close to 1,900 participants in public- and student-focused workshops.

The minister noted the Manitoba K to 12 Education Action Plan reflects the spirit and intent of the commission’s finding, as well as the follow-up engagement since the report was released in March 2021. This includes numerous sessions with advisory groups made up of educators, students, parents and caregivers, the findings from the parent engagement task force, as well as meetings with student service leaders, school division administrators and education stakeholder organizations.

“I’m pleased to see the strong focus on equity and improving outcomes for Indigenous students in this action plan, as these are our priorities in Seven Oaks,” said Brian O’Leary, superintendent, Seven Oaks School Division. “I look forward to the implementation of this plan and to changes that will benefit students.”

The minister expressed his gratitude to all who contributed to the action plan.

“I thank all of the commissioners for their efforts and thoughtful deliberations, as well as over 25,000 Manitobans that participated in the commission and in the engagement sessions since then. The commission was clear that all educational partners must work together, including government, school divisions, schools, students, families and communities, to implement the recommendations successfully,” said Ewasko. “The action plan incorporates this feedback from educators, administrators and the public, and commits to ongoing collaboration and engagement. By working together, we can realize our vision where all Manitoba students succeed, no matter where they live, their backgrounds or their individual circumstances.”

To view the action plan and learn more about plans to strengthen Manitoba’s public education system, visit
www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/action_plan/index.html.

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Written by Judy Peters. 

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