I am wrapping up a quarter century as an instructor in Trades and Technology and NSCC and NSIT.
I heard a piece on CBC recently where Premier MacNeil was addressing the Chamber of Commerce as an apostle of the Ray Ivany report to improve economic conditions in Nova Scotia. I was struck by the need for some continued conversion on the part of the Premier as he comes to understand that a SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the NS Education System, as described by teachers commenting on Bill 75, show it to be poorly positioned to participate in A Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) such as that proposed by Ivany.
The most distressing element of Bill 75 to me is the way in which it “kicks the can down the road” to delay the necessary reform of education to serve the partisan political goal of re-election. Ray Ivany, with whom the Premier aligned in speaking to the Chamber of Commerce, stressed the importance of putting the need for long term decisions to change before partisan political concerns.
I wonder if the delay in completing practicums for new teachers graduating with education degrees as a result of the NSTU WTR might not be a blessing in disguise. As the badly as the education system needs the energy and enthusiasm of new teachers to lead the transformation, I am concerned that the testimony of teachers in the system before the Law Amendments Committee might cause these new teachers to consider starting their career elsewhere. The new teachers are well educated but most are bearing a considerable education debt. The long period of probation with Nova Scotia schools, a salary increase plan that is less than cost of living, loss of a service award that helps with retirement concerns, an environment where personal safety is at risk, a learning preparation and documentation load which steals family time and an employer who turns a deaf ear and arrogantly declares how thankful they should be to work in these conditions will discourage them from working in the NS education system.
