COMMENTARY

My High School Reunion

June 1, 2010

WATSON SCOTT SWAIL, President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute

My head hurts. For a number of reasons. Four days in my hometown of Winnipeg at the 50th Anniversary of Vincent Massey Collegiate in the Fort Garry area of the city. Over 1,200 of us--500 of whom came from out of town (including from New Zealand and other geographically desirable locations)--converged to celebrate our youth (isn't that what it is?). It happened to be my class' 30th anniversary (yes, that would be 1980).

It was a ton of fun, of course. Except for the rain. And did it rain. It rained so much that they talked about opening up the famous Winnipeg Floodway. I'm still wet.

I thought about the composition of my class and others at the reunion. My older brothers were there--one lives in Calgary; the other lives outside of Chicago. Like me, the latter now lives the ex-patriot life. Of my class, several lived out of Winnipeg, and many in the US. A lot of Vancouverites and "TO" types. But also Chicago, Minneapolis, and other US locations. READ MORE...

The teen pregnancy rate in Canada is declining faster than in the United States, England or Sweden. Between 1996 and 2006, the most recent years for which information is available for all four countries, Canada's teen pregnancy rate fell by 36.9 per cent, according to a study released Wednesday by the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada (SIECCAN). That's compared to a 25 per cent decline in the U.S., a 4.75 per cent dip in England (where statistics include Wales) and a 19.1 per cent increase in Sweden.

Source: SIECCAN

THE NEWS

CBE should do more homework on all-boys school concept
By Calgary Herald
The Calgary Board of Education has missed the mark on same-sex classrooms. According to a staff review of 40 boards across Canada, "the research into single-gender education does not substantiate claims that single-gender education is better than coeducational learning for male students," says the report. The findings are premature, considering only eight of the boards studied offer single-gender programming and one other offers all-boys classes in a coed school. The CBE itself offers all-girls classes at Alice Jamieson Girls' Academy. By not providing the same learning opportunity for boys, it's being inconsistent and discriminatory.

New schools to meet suburbs’ needs
By Sarah O’Connell, Edmonton Journal
The Hamptons and Glastonbury, the neighbourhood immediately north, have more than 2,400 children aged 14 and under, according to the 2009 municipal census. At least 500 have already declared their intentions to attend in the fall. Two more modular classrooms may have to be attached by September. Nine new suburban schools will open next September; like Sister Annata Brockman, some will be close to capacity from the moment they open their doors. Most neighbourhoods with the highest number of children are on the city's fringes. Those are the communities where the new schools are opening.

Teachers stressed by escalating demands: report
By Nick Martin, Winnipeg Free Press
Barely one Manitoba teacher in four has a manageable workload and more than half have seen their workload increase year-to-year, according to a task force report. Teachers are working more than 50 hours a week, the province is swamping them with new programs, some students require as much time as three or four average students, teachers feel pressured to take on extracurricular work and they do report cards at home on the weekend.

Fewer than 3% undergraduates opting to study abroad, study finds
By Elizabeth Church, The Globe and Mail
At a time when politicians are extolling the virtues of attracting more foreign students to Canada, a new study shows our own undergraduates are homebodies. Less than 3 per cent ventured to a foreign country as part of their studies, even though most say they are interested in global issues and are attracted to the idea of studying abroad. Money, difficulty in meeting degree requirements and lack of awareness of opportunities are all contributing to the low showing, the study finds.

Government announces funding to increase apprenticeship training opportunities
By Saskatchewan News Release
More apprentices will receive training as a result of a funding increase of $1.95 million to the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC). This year's budget increase includes $400,000 for a targeted initiative to bolster Aboriginal participation and success in apprenticeship training in the province.The government is investing a total of $19.7 million in apprenticeship training in the 2010-11 budget. "With more than 9,000 apprentices in Saskatchewan, our government recognizes the value of a strong and inclusive apprenticeship system in building Saskatchewan's economy," Advanced Education, Employment and Labour Minister Rob Norris said.

Algonquin studies course correction
By Mohammed Adam, The Ottawa Citizen
A massive program overhaul designed to produce graduates who fit the needs of a 21st century economy and workforce is being contemplated for Algonquin College, senior executives say. Faced with shrinking budgets, shifting demographics and the dynamics of a global economy, the executives say Algonquin must evolve and make its courses and programs more relevant to the needs of a fast-changing local and global market.

Overseas student numbers plummet
By Andrew Trounson, The Australian
Australia's largest international student recruiter, IDP chief executive Tony Pollock, warned that changes to visa rules and priority skills were being made without giving the industry time to adjust. As a result, student demand had plummeted and the sector's market standing was at risk. Mr Pollock said international placements into Australia across IDP's network were down 37 per cent in April compared with a year ago, with current Indian demand almost wiped out. He said the Australian High Commissioner in India had told his staff there that the number of student visa applications it had on hand had crashed to just 200, compared with 8600 a year ago.

Report assess the recession’s toll on higher education in Europe
By Aisha Labi, The Chronicle of Higher Education
A new report by the European University Association examines the effects of the global financial crisis on European universities over the past two years and concludes that, while the situation is far from uniform, the turmoil has had profound implications for higher-education systems across Europe. The majority of European universities rely on public financing for the bulk of their income, and cuts in government spending are taking a heavy toll in many countries, says the report, "Impact of the Economic Crisis on European Universities."

Schools are promised an academic ‘revolution’
By BBC News
Education Secretary Michael Gove has set out his vision for a new era for schools in England. Mr Gove said all schools would be given the opportunity to break away from local authority control and become academies. Academies are state-funded schools which have a high degree of autonomy. Mr Gove said the changes and new freedoms would drive up standards for all schools, with supporters hailing them as a "revolution" in schools.

The Swail Letter (May 2010).
In this issue: Trends in International Education Enrollment.