Improve the flow of information

Of all education services available to Islanders, information appears to rank lowest in importance.

I was pleased, therefore, to see the issue addressed in the recent Review of Prince Edward Island’s Provincial Common Assessment Program prepared recently by RMJ Assessment for the Department of Education.

The report noted the lack of information, even “confusion” about assessment among the public, and recommended that the issue be addressed — educators need to provide more information about what they do and why.

Another part of the shortfall, I suggest, involves information needed by Islanders when making decisions about their own education or that of their family.

As readers may recall, lack of information was one of the issues identified in a recent study of continuing education in Souris (www. education2020.ca); this kind of information is often combined with counselling.

Providing information for decision-making should not be limited to or through schools; many out-of-school Islanders need help as well. Information services could easily be incorporated into a separate structure, through our libraries or be provided by privately operated centres as is the case in workforce development. My personal experience suggests that improving the information flow between providers and users of education services is likely one of the keys to better education in the 21st century.

Don Glendenning, a long-time student of education, Charlottetown