90th CMEC Meeting: Ministers of Education Reaffirm Leadership Role in Pan Canadian Education Issues
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
St. John's, NL, September 26, 2006 -- Education ministers met this week in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, for the 90th meeting of the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada. Ministers focused on continued action and progress on postsecondary education and skills training, Aboriginal education, and literacy.
Postsecondary Education and Skills Training
Provincial and territorial ministers voiced strong support for their premiers' strategy for postsecondary education and skills training in Canada. The strategy, Competing for Tomorrow, was released by the Council of the Federation here in St. John's in July 2006. It outlines five priorities for action: improving access, enhancing quality, increasing participation in the skilled labour force, skills for the 21st century workplace, and expanding research and innovation.
Ministers of provinces and territories stressed the need for substantial, predictable, stable, and ongoing federal re-investment to enable postsecondary education and skills training to keep pace with current needs and to ensure that Canada and its citizens are able to compete in the global economy.
Ministers also expressed their appreciation to stakeholders for the important contribution made through their participation in the February 2006 Postsecondary Education and Skills Summit. Building on their ongoing contribution, ministers are committed to involving the public in moving forward with this important agenda.
CMEC members decided that, in follow-up to the premiers' discussions, a group of ministers will meet with appropriate federal ministers to discuss postsecondary education and skills training.
Aboriginal education
Ministers are acting to improve the learning outcomes for Aboriginal peoples and they invite the federal government to do the same. “Ministers are continuing to implement their action plan, which includes collecting information on Aboriginal students, developing common indicators of Aboriginal student achievement, identifying best practices, and improving teacher training,” said the Honourable Joan Burke, Chair of CMEC and Minister of Education for Newfoundland and Labrador. “Aboriginal education is a priority for CMEC.”
Ministers called on the federal government to fulfill its role and responsibilities for Aboriginal education and clarify its priorities and intentions. Ministers were unanimous in the need for an early meeting with the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs. Minister Burke noted, “We need to work together to ensure that every Aboriginal student, wherever she lives, wherever he studies, has the opportunity to succeed.” Ministers were also unanimous on the need for consultations with Aboriginal leaders.
Literacy
Action on CMEC's literacy initiatives is also continuing. Two highly successful forums, held in fall 2005 and spring 2006, one on school-age literacy, the other on adult literacy, provided ministers with practical policy ideas on literacy. Ministers expressed their strong commitment to literacy issues and tasked deputy ministers of education to develop next steps for the plan and present them at the winter 2007 CMEC meeting.
Ministers expressed their concern about cuts in funding for literacy programs announced yesterday by the federal government. They committed to meeting as soon as possible with the federal Minister of Human Resources and Social Development to discuss the implications of this action.
CMEC is an intergovernmental body composed of the ministers responsible for elementary-secondary and advanced education from the provinces and territories. Through CMEC, ministers share information and undertake projects in areas of mutual interest and concern.
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Information:
Colin Bailey
Tel.: (416) 962-8100, ext. 259
E-mail: c.bailey@cmec.ca
Web site: www.cmec.ca