86th CMEC Meeting: Three Key Priorities For Ministers Of Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Orford, Quebec, September 28, 2004 -- Provincial and territorial ministers of education met today to define their national leadership role in education. The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) approved a new mandate: to work collaboratively to build the best education systems in the world where every learner succeeds.

The ministers agreed on three key priorities on which they will do joint work in the coming years: literacy, Aboriginal education, and postsecondary capacity. All three of these priorities are areas in which the ministers will engage the federal government.

In the area of literacy ministers agreed to work together on increasing the literacy levels of all students. Their actions will include a national forum on literacy in the near future.

Ministers also agreed to cooperate on developing a shared approach, in consultation with Aboriginal peoples, to engaging the federal government in developing strategies to improve educational success for aboriginal students.

The third priority is increasing postsecondary capacity. Ministers will decide on key issues affecting the postsecondary sector, some of which they will discuss with the federal government, including funding for infrastructure costs, the indirect costs of research, and increased access.

Ministers agreed that they would report back to Canadians yearly on their success in these endeavours through CMEC.

“We believe that all our actions have to be aimed at success for all learners. This goal must guide our policies at all levels of learning,” said the Honourable Pierre Reid, Quebec's Education Minister, who chairs CMEC. “My colleagues and I feel that these priorities respond to Canadians' expectations for leadership in education and we will continue to work with all our partners as we have done in the past in addressing these priorities. Learners are the big winners when we work together.”

Other initiatives on which provinces and territories will continue to collaborate include special needs, online learning and connectivity, student financial assistance reform, copyright, and promoting healthy schools.

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For further information, contact
Boyd Pelley
CMEC
(416) 962-8100, ext. 241