How important is an education?
I have certainly heard a lot of different perspectives and answers to that question. The responses range widely, as you can imagine.
Generally, Canadians view education as an important matter. Imparting knowledge and skills into the next generation is worth investing in. Canadians see education as an investment in our future. We desire to have our next generation educated so they can step in and create the products, services and supports we need as citizens in our country and around the world.
It is a valuable investment in our future. As Canadians, we make a significant investment in educating our children. Approximately 70 billion dollars is annually invested in K-12 education across Canada. Education matters to Canadians.
Yet, while education is important and valuable to us, many of the responses I hear to this question, of the importance of education, take on a much more local flavour.
Certainly, there are differences of opinion. Many of the responses depend on someone’s own community circumstances. At times, it also depends on someone’s own personal circumstances, the stage they are in life, age of their children, whether they have children or grandchildren in school, and so on.
Most of the responses I have received, hinge on these local circumstances. Often it is gauged by the job market. If work is plentiful, and you can find a job or follow a career path without post-secondary education, the educational requirements and importance of them seem less significant. If, on the other hand, higher learning is a necessity in order to find work, or to follow your interests and career path, then education is much more important to you.
In other words, the importance of education is often determined by our local circumstances.
Over the years I have heard or used these phrases to describe education. “Schools belong to communities,” “It takes a village to raise a child,” “Local Voices, Local Choices”.
Each speaks of education with a local flavour. It is connected to where we live. These phrases are not unique to me. Many have used them.
Within Mountain View School Division, we are a community of several communities. While the governance of the Division (policies, procedures, decision-making) exists collectively, through the school board, each of the 7 communities where we have schools, are unique. The needs, values, and perspectives of each of these communities is reflected in their schools.
This is evident in the graduation ceremonies that take place in each of our high schools and in the focus and traditions of each of our elementary and middle schools. While we are one division, the expression of the priority of “Keeping Learners at the Centre” manifests itself in different ways in each school. Why? Because our communities are reflected in our schools.
This uniqueness is something we want to highlight as we begin 2021.
Each of our schools provide their students with the best education possible. Many of the core course offerings are Provincially directed; however, each school is able to serve the needs of its students in unique ways. This is reflected, not only in the courses they provide, but in the other ways they adapt to the unique circumstances and priorities of their local community. Schools enhance the education of their students based on their local circumstances.
We will be submitting perspectives from our schools in this space. It is so that our broad Mountain View School Division community can have a better sense of what makes us one division with many parts.
Typically, the School Board receives these perspectives at our public meetings. Given our current environment, we look forward to sharing them with you this way. After all, schools are a reflection of our community and we want to shine a brighter light on them.