Fewer than one-in-five Albertans support the provincial government’s draft K-6 curriculum, says the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
A new Environics poll, conducted for the ATA, suggests only 17 per cent of Albertans agree the recently released draft curriculum will provide students with the knowledge and skills they need for success.
That’s compared with 53 per cent who disagree, including 34 per cent who strongly disagree, that the drafts will fulfill the government’s stated objective.
“Parents and the public have a clear understanding that this draft curriculum is not appropriate for use with students. That is why we are calling for the government to halt implementation and conduct a full, independent review,” said Jason Schilling, ATA president.
The poll also suggests the curriculum has led to record low levels of approval for how the government is handling K–12 education.
Sixty per cent of the people who were polled disapprove of the government’s performance on schooling, including 38 per cent who strongly disapprove. Just 34 per cent approve, which is the lowest approval rating in the past decade, according to the ATA.
“Albertans are saying to us that the curriculum is poorly done and it is inappropriate for students. They also recognize that the problem was largely created because teachers were left out of the planning,” said Schilling.
“I know government officials will say 100 teachers were included last fall, but until they produce an unfiltered report on those sessions and release the teachers from their gag order, I have no reason to believe that those teachers were meaningfully engaged or that their feedback was even used.”
Environics Research surveyed 900 adult Albertans by telephone between April 19 and May 1.
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