International exchange program opportunities at risk: teachers

Changes to a government program that organizes international exchanges for Alberta students and teachers could put the opportunities in jeopardy, the Alberta Teachers’ Association says.

Since 2010, the teachers’ association has been contracted to run the province’s International Education Exchange Program (IEEP), which sends Alberta teachers and students on short- and long-term placements in Japan, Spain, Australia, Denmark, and other locations.

Starting in July 2018, the provincial education ministry will end that contract and run the exchange program in co-operation with school boards and schools.

Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) spokesman Jonathan Teghtmeyer said the change could jeopardize the exchange program, and may give students and teachers unequal access, depending on how willing school districts are to participate.

Overseas partners now deal with one office for all of Alberta. Teghtmeyer questioned whether transferring responsibility to government and 61 school boards puts those relationships at risk.

In 2017, 42 Alberta teachers and administrators went on the exchanges. This school year, 78 Alberta students are heading abroad.

Newly retired teacher Sandi Morris, who has been on four year-long exchanges to Australia through IEEP, said she feels heartbroken and angry about changes to the program.

“I really think the importance of the program is being missed,” Mor- ris said.

Each time spent working in Australia was like a year of professional development, she said. She learned approaches from her colleagues she would never have thought of, shared her expertise, and taught Australian students about Canada. Back home, her Edmonton students got a different perspective from their Australian teacher, she said.

The program was managed best by the ATA, she said, with a dedicated co-ordinator she could reach any time if a problem arose.

In a written statement Friday, the education minister’s chief of staff, Amanda Henry, said Alberta Education is “working with school authorities to develop that new collaborative model” of managing the program, come July 2018.

School boards do already manage some other exchange programs, such as ones offered by Rotary International.

Edmonton Public Schools is waiting for more information from government, spokeswoman Raquel Maurier said in an email. Although the district supports exchange opportunities, it receives no funding from the province for the programs, she said.

Henry doesn’t think the changes will affect program participation.

The government paid the teachers’ association about $550,000 a year to manage IEEP, which covered 3.5 dedicated staff members, and costs such as travel to chaperone students to and from their destinations. Exchange participants must pay their own travel costs, and any lodging costs — although many teachers stay in each other’s houses.