Manitobans expect a government that makes the education and retention of its young people a top priority. Our government would strengthen Manitoba’s education system by creating K-12 “Schools of Excellence” characterized by outstanding student performance, attendance rates, academic innovations and special community service.
Our government would also set goals for reading proficiency in elementary schools. Working with education professionals, our government would institute a Grade 1 reading assessment to ensure all students are able to read by the time they reach the second grade. The results of the assessment, shared only with parents and children’s educators, would identify literacy problems early enough to take appropriate action.
Beyond this assessment, a Progressive Conservative government would implement standards tests at two other stages in the K-12 progression in core subjects such as Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Canadian history. Our government would make individual results available to parents in report cards, and allow administrators to use summary results to determine where additional resources should be directed. In recognition of the valuable contribution of Manitoba’s past educators, our government would adjust the pension for retired teachers to better reflect inflation. Our government would commit to ensuring retired teachers receive a cost of living adjustment that is at least twothirds the annual increases to the Consumer Price Index.
A Progressive Conservative government would recognize the need for better access to education due to the rapid growth of south Winnipeg and southern Manitoba, and would initiate the construction of new schools in these areas. In concert with these new schools, our government would bring forward a strategy to increase education infrastructure in growing areas to ensure educational needs are met before communities are faced with overcrowded schools and lengthy travel times. Our government would work to improve distance education programming, which has been neglected under the current government.
Under a Progressive Conservative government, the Department of Education would provide more comprehensive supports for teachers who pursue this option of instruction, ensuring rural and northern Manitobans receive the same standard of education as those in urban centres. Our post-secondary institutions face significant challenges as well. Manitoba now ranks last in its support for post-secondary education, as the province has not adequately replaced funding lost as a result of the tuition freeze. A Progressive Conservative government would eliminate the tuition freeze and appoint a task force to ensure access for lower income students while restoring universities to a position of strength.
