In 1999, the Canadian Council on Social Development prepared a paper titled, “Thinking Ahead: Trends effecting public education in the future”. In it they outlined how the Canadian public school system will be stressed by such things as the aging population, increased immigration, and changes in family structure and governance, as well as values and expectations. These are what they felt would be the “Influences on education over the next 20 years”. You may also find their views on “Information and Communications Technology” interesting. You can access the index for the entire article here.
The Economic Implications for the Future of Education
Dr. Warren Jestin, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist for Scotiabank Group, believes that education should be the focus for government spending because Canada will require a “diverse, adaptable, skills-based workforce” in order to prosper. However, since there will be no further increase in funding from governments, the money currently available will have to be spent wisely and creatively through prioritizing and re-allocating resources.
Discussion Question
What do you think will be the future of public education in Canada? Where should resources be focused? What can be cut?