Compulsory schooling a bold ambition

Last Thursday, the province announced that next year Manitoba high school students will be required to stay in school until the age of 18, or until they graduate, whichever comes first. It is a welcome and bold move to tackle the serious issue of dropout rates in our schools and in the larger context a sign the government recognizes the province's future depends on a well educated population.

As Education Minister Nancy Allan correctly noted, receiving a high school diploma can no longer be considered the end of a young person's education.

Passing legislation to set a new age requirement for graduation is by itself not a full answer to this serious issue, especially for the children and youth that face a variety of social and economic barriers to achieving a high school diploma. For example, it is estimated that as many as half of the aboriginal students in downtown Winnipeg fail to graduate from high school. All students who face challenges will need to be specifically targeted, and flexible options that address their needs will have to be provided.

To successfully address the problems of poverty and gang violence that exist in Winnipeg, young people need to have access to the types of opportunities that only education can provide. Instead of investing in more prison cells, we should be investing our money in the futures of our youth.

For the past several years, the University of Winnipeg has been working with schools, community organizations and families located in the heart of downtown Winnipeg to support efforts to tackle the dropout rate. The university's approach -- the community learning initiative -- is to engage students and to encourage an aptitude and appetite for learning.

There are ways to overcome the multiple barriers that prevent some students from pursuing higher education. To begin with, there must be an understanding you need to start early. A recent series of studies conducted in Canada under the MESA Project found that most students who attend university had decided to do so before entering high school. This shows it is vital to engage students as early as possible and give them a "tap on the shoulder." It also requires that learning opportunities be offered after school hours, on weekends, and during the summer. One of the real disparities in our community is the gap in experiences that reinforce learning, whether it is access to a computer, a camp experience, good sports and recreation programs or simply a safe place to hang out with one's peers.

The U of W's Model School is an example of a high school that recognizes the traditional approach does not work for everyone. A select group of promising students who were once struggling now have graduation in their sights. This environment provides an innovative academic approach by providing individualized education plans to each student.

The university, recognizing students should have opportunities for learning outside of the standard school day, provides a safe learning environment with access to computers, tutors and mentors.

There is an after-school homework club operating out of the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre. Up to 40 students come in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The U of W runs Eco-U, which focuses on providing learning opportunities to children during the summer months and to bring children and youth on campus whenever possible to make them feel like they are part of the campus.

Students who are involved in some of these programs are eligible through the Opportunity Fund for a tuition credit for showing improvements in academic achievement and community commitment.

This enables children from low-income families to begin earning money towards higher education through the act of learning itself.

What this points to is the need for the provincial government to commit the appropriate resources to make its new policy work. That means supporting innovative learning initiatives in schools and community organizations, including universities, to meet the challenge set out so directly by Allan.

As the new law is introduced and works its way through the legislature, there needs to be a parallel process of consultation and planning to insure it will incorporate a comprehensive and relevant community-based learning strategy. This could be a defining moment in resetting the concept of learning and education in Manitoba.

Lloyd Axworthy is president of the University of Winnipeg

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 24, 2010 A15