Treating schools as businesses was a scheme bound to fail
Education is the foundation of social progress. The quality of education we nurture for our children today determines where we are heading as a country.
So why have we allowed our immigration system to create such a mess by allowing more international students than our communities can handle just so certain post-secondary institutions can generate huge finances for themselves?
Any country, poor or rich, builds schools, hospitals, roads and all other infrastructure with a primary goal of making life easier for its citizens. You don’t build a highway to accommodate international drivers or build a hospital just to invite international patients.
So why is it different when it comes to schooling?
When it comes to higher education, our institutions must have the needs of Canadians at top of mind.
The design of courses, class sizes and all required tools to provide quality education must be based on what is best for our children.
What they get today at school determines what Canada looks like tomorrow. In some cases, international students constitute more than half of college classes — with a very low attendance rate. It is also said some international students were found to negotiate grades with instructors because they failed regular tests and exams. This is often because international students work full time to support their living and education costs, and their performance at school is below average as a result.
How are grades negotiable? You either pass or fail.
Some students are graduating from colleges and their skills and knowledge are not based on firm and strong academic performances.
The majority of international students will remain in Canada after their schooling and, with certificates of negotiated grades, go to work. What are employers supposed to do with unprepared graduates?
Even if the students return to their home country with halfbaked qualifications, what will the image of Canada become in the world? Is the world going to call us selfish, irresponsible and untrustworthy?
Meanwhile, our children go to the same schools and enrol in the same courses. The only difference is they pay less for tuition. The school environment in which they get their education matters for their future. That’s the future of Canada.