Editor:
Recently the BC Liberals launched a Ministry of Education website citing impressive facts that are in fact impressively misleading. The website boasts of record funding levels for education, technically true, but fails to mention that funding has steadily fallen behind inflation. During this government’s tenure per student funding has fallen from the Canadian average to $1000 per student below the Canadian average. The website points to improved graduation rates but fails to mention that this government changed graduation requirements, making them easier. The website repeatedly notes that BC typically outperforms other provinces on student tests even though BC teachers are paid below the Canadian average. This trend has always existed, it’s what I call the ‘BC bonus’. Mobile professionals, not just teachers, will work for less in BC because they get to live here. We have teachers in our local schools who came here from provinces with higher teacher salaries. They prefer to live and work here. The website notes proudly that BC students perform well on international math, science and language tests. They sure do, go BC schools! The website fails however to mention that BC’s ranking on those tests has been declining since the Liberals first took office and began implementing cuts. The government is well aware of all of this, they just rather you weren’t aware. They would have you believe that through some unspecified management magic they’ve been able to improve performance while reducing costs. Don’t be fooled.
Walt van der Kamp