As a parent, I used to think things were challenging when my kids were young, but looking back, those times were simpler compared to dealing with pre-teens.
In those days, my concerns were focused on diaper changes and feeding times. Nowadays, my worries have shifted towards their future prospects.
I'm concerned they might not have access to the necessary resources for success since governments aren't putting sufficient funds into their education.
Each one of us desires the utmost success for our children. We wish for their safety. We hope they develop into compassionate, self-reliant individuals with lives superior to ours.
In the past, this aspiration was within reach for many individuals. Our grandparents enjoyed greater prosperity compared to their own forebears, just as our parents achieved more success relative to theirs. Higher educational attainment has led to enhanced equality across our societies since education equips people with the necessary means to thrive in life.
A rising tide raises all vessels. Yet, not all vessels are identical. Consider this: what if some of these vessels have leaks?
Increasingly, life surrounding us presents numerous challenges. Families struggle to cover their expenses, it becomes difficult to settle bills despite holding down full-time jobs, and the level of consumer debt in Newfoundland and Labrador ranks as the second-highest nationally. An alarming number of people from Newfoundland and Labrador often face heart-wrenching decisions: should they buy food for the children or afford heating at home?
I apologize, but there will be no after-school sports or music for you kids!
Absolutely not, moving away to university isn't an option; you'd have to cover rent. Where would we get the funds for that? Finding the tuition money to enroll you at the sole university in the province is hard enough as it is.
A lot of Canadians believe that their quality of life is declining rapidly. They worry that upcoming generations might have a harder time compared to people now. These concerns are intensified by global conditions. The prolonged period of pandemic lifestyle, increasing expenses for food and shelter, along with inflation, adds to these worries. To make matters more pressing, former U.S. President Donald Trump posed recent threats to Canada's autonomy and economic stability.
It’s all too much.
What steps should we take to safeguard our children and enable their growth despite the surrounding unpredictability? What skills must we equip them with so they can manage disorder effectively as adults? In an era filled with misinformation, particularly due to the influence of algorithms on social media platforms such as those operated byMETA and X, how will they discern truth from falsehoods?
Who is responsible for ensuring that coming generations of adults possess the necessary tools to become informed citizens capable of making educated choices?
Governments.
The provincial administration is tasked with managing education.
As a professor specializing in political science, my daily routine involves instructing students about the functioning of governments. In my opinion, the government is failing to fulfill its responsibilities effectively.
The provincial government is letting down the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
It is letting down our children from kindergarten right up to university level.
The provincial government is letting us down entirely. It is imposing a future of setbacks for the province.
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The schools are deteriorating. Educators are becoming exhausted, resigning, and departing from the province. Class sizes have become excessively large. Support services for students with special needs are insufficient. Opportunities for advanced learning are scarce. Top-performing pupils are losing interest due to boredom. Additionally, we fall short of providing sufficient extracurricular activities post school hours, such as clubs, athletics, and musical programs.
The provincial government continues to mishandle attempts at addressing these critical issues and appears not to grasp that continuously reducing funding for education, time after time, does not align with genuinely caring about educational matters.
This leads us to Memorial University, the sole institution of higher education in the province, established 100 years ago as "a living tribute to those who perished" during the First World War. Its primary aim was to guarantee the prosperity and growth of succeeding generations in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Despite this promise, the provincial government has slashed MUN’s budget by 46 per cent since 2013.
A 46 percent reduction doesn’t convey, "Wow. We truly appreciate students and education within our province."
A 46 percent reduction implies, "We genuinely do not appreciate what lies ahead and are counting on nobody recognizing our shortsightedness."
A 46 percent reduction implies, "We believe teacher training in the province is unnecessary, and we do not consider math, English, French, or history to be important for the future at all."
A reduction of 46 percent would result in students losing the opportunity to pursue higher education within Newfoundland and Labrador after roughly half a decade, as we will cease providing a full range of programs.
A reduction of 46 percent would result in students from lower-income backgrounds being unable to obtain a university degree altogether, whereas some wealthier families will still have the opportunity to send their children overseas for education.
A 46 percent reduction will result in us losing additional talented individuals to the rest of Canada. When our children move away for their education, they tend to remain elsewhere once they secure employment on the mainland.
And – perhaps most devastatingly for me – a 46 percent reduction implies that upcoming generations won’t acquire the necessary skills to comprehend their surroundings. Consequently, they'll lack the ability to engage in critical and innovative thinking amidst rapid global changes.
A 46 percent reduction signifies we are regressing.
Without education, we possess nothing.
These children will eventually lead us, but they fail to grasp the complexity of our world. Yet, our current provincial administration is shaping their future without giving it serious consideration.
As a parent, you ought to be deeply concerned about what lies ahead – not just for your children, but for everyone.
The government has the duty of overseeing education. Education forms the essential groundwork for a prosperous society. If we neglect it, we'll collectively face failure. Work out the numbers yourself.
Amanda Bittner is a faculty member in the Department of Political Science at Memorial University.