Alberta Education is updating what children are taught in the province’s schools, but the process will take six years and $64 million to complete.
Starting in September, Alberta Education will begin developing new curriculum across all grade and all subject areas, Education Minister David Eggen announced Wednesday.
The review and implementation will be done simultaneously in six subject areas: arts, language arts (English, French, Français), mathematics, social studies, sciences, and wellness, he said.
The curriculum will be developed in stages. Kindergarten to Grade 4 will be completed by the end of 2018, followed by Grades 5 to 8 in late 2019. The high school curriculum will be developed in phases from 2020 to 2022.
An online survey and meetings are planned to allow parents to provide feedback on the changes. The government is setting aside $4 million to consult about content with indigenous people.
The existing curriculum will be used until the new one is put in place.
The Wildrose Party was not impressed with the plan. Education critic Mark Smith said the minister appears to be ignoring the concerns of parents who dislike how children are taught math.
“For years now, parent groups have objected to discovery learning, and concerns have been raised over a new trend of declining test scores,” Smith said in a news release.
“Minister Eggen’s language makes it sound like despite all the work that has already been done, there will be no changes to address these concerns, and that upcoming changes may further alienate parents while elevating the role of bureaucrats in the classroom.”
Smith said the ministry already started a curriculum review in 2014 which cost $30 million.