Provincial education plan drafted

School boards across the province will soon have their first glimpse at an overarching plan for Saskatchewan education.

A draft of the Student First education sector plan was handed out at a Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) council meeting last week, and is now looking for approval.

Student First consultations began in October.

The pet project of deputy education minister Dan Florizone, he implemented a similar approach — Patient First — to overhaul the provincial health system.

Florizone, though, seems to have handed interview duties about the education plan over to SSBA president Janet Foord, who gave a glowing take on the draft that will go in front of her

“... IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED ONE TIME AND NEVER AGAIN.”

JANET FOORD

members.

But what is contained within the report will remain a mystery for now.

Foord characterized the plan as “responsive,” but would not go into further detail until school boards have had a chance to see and discuss it — a process that will likely take a couple of months.

More than 1,000 people gave their input into the plan, including students, teachers, administrators and trustees.

Foord hopes to see it passed by her membership, but emphasized the fact the plan will grow and morph as time moves on.

“It’s supposed to be an evergreening process, so it’s not something that will be implemented one time and never again,” she said.

“It will reach each and every student by name, by strength and by need, and it focuses on the strengths of people we have in our education system already.”

The idea is for the sector plan to be reviewed quarterly and renewed each year, with input from education stakeholders along the way.

“We’re quite excited about it, because it’s the first time ever in this province we’ve worked collaboratively to develop a plan, as opposed to it coming from the Ministry (of Education) down,” Foord said.

“In that sense, I think good plans are homegrown.”

Foord acknowledged that consultations moved quickly — but was it too quickly?

“Not from my perspective,” she said.

“I think we worked hard at consulting. I mean, 1,000 people is a lot of people to consult with.”

Boards will now vote on whether the education sector plan will be adopted, and it will then go before cabinet.