Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wants the province's education department to explore ways parents can "appropriately provide" more input into school policies..On Tuesday, Smith issued a mandate letter to Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides calling on him to ensure Alberta students receive a world-class education..Smith directed Nicolaides to review the role of parent-school councils and work with educators to explore ways parents can appropriately provide more input into school policies and learning options.."Alberta's United Conservative government is committed to improving education in our province," Nicolaides said..In her letter, Smith outlines her expectations that Alberta offers "greater choice in education with tailored options that best suit the needs of individual students and enable them to pursue career paths with the most plentiful and lucrative employment opportunities.".She asked Nicolaides to deliver on platform commitments to support Albertans, including:.Working in cooperation with the Minister of Advanced Education, to fund the growth of Community Action Resource for Education and Employment Readiness (CAREERS) with public and separate school divisions to increase student participation in off-campus programs or paid internships..Enhancing dual credit grant programs to make more funding available for new dual credit programming and equipment..Working collaboratively with parents, teachers and stakeholders to continue to implement the K-12 curriculum and to implement additional basic life and home maintenance skills as well as financial literacy training into the high school curriculum where appropriate..Assisting each ministry to execute their mandate to design a ministry-specific job-attraction strategy that raises awareness for young Albertans, especially those in grades 9 to 12, and adults changing careers of the skilled trades and professions available in each economic sector, including pathways for education, apprenticeship and training..According to the letter, the UCP government will spend $20 million over four years in "promoting career pathways" such as organizing career fairs for high school students in high-demand sectors..Other highlights of the letter include establishing an online career counselling website for students and parents to assist with career and education road mapping and funding for additional mobile Career and Technology Studies and Career and Technology Foundations labs..“By significantly building more schools, improving Program Unit Funding and creating more dual credit opportunities, we will ensure Alberta's education system remains world-class," Nicolaides said..New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs is currently embroiled in a controversy where he has demanded parents have more control over what happens to their kids in school..CBC News reported former transportation minister Jeff Carr and local government minister Daniel Allain were fired from the cabinet in NB for voting for an opposition motion to require more study of a school policy change affecting sexual minority students..Carr said Premier Higgs has adopted a "my way or the highway" attitude on certain issues since winning a majority government.."Today there is too much power in the premier's office," Higgs wrote in a personal letter to voters during the 2018 election campaign.."The premier's office ends up making all the decisions. The voices of citizens and elected officials are not allowed to be as strong as they could and should be. I want to be the premier who says 'No we don't do it that way anymore.'".Carr was fired by Higgs as transportation minister following his public opposition to the changes to Policy 713 regarding the treatment of sexual minority students..He issued his own letter describing a "continuous lack of transparency and consultation" under the premier..With Smith's mandate letter direction to include parents' opinions, it appears the premier of Alberta values opinions different from her own.
