Education

The Green Party of Manitoba believes that an education system of quality must support students by addressing their individual needs, by providing them with high quality academic instruction, and by equipping them with the skills necessary for their future.

The Greens acknowledge that individuals and communities have diverse learning needs and plan to provide them with appropriate funding and resources to meet those needs. This includes addressing the financial inequities in the Manitoba Education System by providing equitable funding to all schools. Further inequities would be addressed by consulting with teachers and communities about the specific needs of their students and community, and addressing those needs accordingly. 

The Greens believe in assisting families in achieving this goal, as well as adults that are looking to further their education. Together we will ensure that every child is able to receive a quality education from early childhood to post-secondary. 

To ensure that all students receive a quality education that meets their needs, the Green Party of Manitoba will:

Revise the funding structure of public schools to ensure equitable funding for education
  • Make education funding fair and transparent by funding education only through corporate and personal income taxes rather than partly through property taxes
Increase support for students with specific needs
  • Reduce the wait time for assessing students with learning disabilities so that those who qualify for a special education designation receive early intervention and the necessary supports
  • Provide culturally appropriate supports for newcomer students to receive early intervention when necessary
  • Provide funding to school divisions specifically in support of in-school, out-of-class tutoring services
Provide support in schools for children and families living in poverty
  • Put into place programming and services that are designed to specifically address the in-school social, physical, and emotional needs of children and youth living in poverty
  • Provide support to enable all parents to fully participate in the education of their children
Improving the educational experience of Indigenous students
  • Develop a provincial strategy in partnership with Indigenous groups to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Manitobans
  • Promote environments where Indigenous students feel a sense of welcome and belonging in public schools through the implementation of culturally appropriate educational programming and services
  • Develop culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Indigenous families
Update school curriculums to promote meaningful engagement
  • Center the curriculum on participation in projects in order to incorporate diverse subject matter and teach a variety of skills, including critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration
  • Require that all future curriculum development be done from the perspective of teaching students to be ecologically aware and literate
Provide support and autonomy to teachers and schools
  • Provide local schools with increased autonomy over their schedules and curricula in response to local needs
  • Support all school divisions, in collaboration with teachers and school administrators, in creating annual professional development plans for teachers and school administrators
  • Repeal The Public Services Sustainability Act, which will reverse the freeze on public-sector wages and honor the right to engage in collective bargaining
Provide increased assistance to post-secondary students to promote equal access to education
  • Provide students in need of financial assistance with at least 50% of eligible assistance as non-repayable financial assistance
  • Introduce an income contingent repayment plan, where the repayment of student loans is based on the ability to pay