Educational change : the case of Newfoundland

Abstract

Dramatic changes in Newfoundland's environment and global developments during the past decade, significantly influenced growing demands for restructuring the education system of Newfoundland. Responding to these demands, Newfoundland educators succeeded in creating a single unified non-denominational education system which became fully operational at the beginning of the 1998/99 school year. This achievement has been hailed by the majority of Newfoundlanders as a monumental landmark in the provinces' lengthy experience with denominational education. As well, it is viewed as pivotal in achieving educational excellence and ensuring that children receive a relevant education that will prepare them for the demands of the next century. The former education system (which consisted of four separate denominational school systems operated jointly by the church and the state) had become too cumbersome and inefficient, thus adversely affecting the quality of education. This thesis looks in particular at the contextual realities and perspectives that influenced the demands for changing the system. Such factors as the declining school population, economic conditions, technological developments, as well as legal and political issues have distinctly changed the Newfoundland society during the past number of years, hence the necessity to restructure the education system. The thesis furthermore discusses the proposed government model for restructuring the system and highlights the proposals for improving education. It also focuses briefly on the minority rights issue in Canada, as this has bearing on the legal rights of the church to educate in Newfoundland and its current role within the new structure. An evaluation of Newfoundland's educational reform initiatives (which includes the views of key educators in Newfoundland on these issues), deals with some of the problem areas which currently exist within the new system. However, the focus centres mainly on the obvious improvements in such areas as management, organization, parent involvement, curriculum development, educational achievement and accountability. The impact of these reforms on the social, educational and political dimensions of the Newfoundland society will only become evident in time, yet they hold the promise of having a lasting impact on educational achievement. The remarkable feature of the whole reform process is, that it was achieved from within.

Die ingrypende veranderings wat die Newfoundlandse gemeenskap oor die afgelope dekade ondergaan het, tesame met ontwikkelings op wereldvlak, het aanleiding gegee tot toenemende eise om die onderwysstelsel van Newfoundland te herstruktureer. Gevolglik onderneem die Newfoundlandse regering 'n omvattende herondersoek van die onderwys wat lei tot die vorming van 'n enkele, openbare, ge'integreerde onderwysstelsel wat aan die begin van die skooljaar 1998/99 in werking tree. Hierdie prestasie word as 'n besondere keerpunt in die onderwys deur Newfoundlanders beskou, aangesien die behoud en vooruitgang van die Newfoundlandse gemeenskap en onderwys daardeur verseker word. Voorheen het die onderwysstelsel uit vier afsonderlike kerkskoolstelsels bestaan wat gesamentlik deur die staat en kerk op alle vlakke beheer en bestuur is. Hierdie eiesoortige struktuur het die onderwys al hoe meer belemmer en opvoedkundiges genoodsaak om dit te hersien. Hierdie studie kyk eerstens na die vergestaltende faktore en lewensbeskouings wat die onderwys in Newfoundland ten diepste raak. Faktore soos dalende geboortegetalle, ekonomiese toestande, tegnologiese en staatkundige ontwikkelings dra veral by tot die veranderde leefwereld van die Newfoundlander en noop die regering om die onderwysstelsel daarby aan te pas en 'n onderwysmodel vir die toekoms te ontwerp. Hierdie onderwysmodel wat alle komponente asook die struktuur van die onderwysstelsel aanraak, word vervolgens ontleed. Aandag word ook gewy aan die kwessie van minderheidsregte in Kanada, omdat dit die kerk se reg om onderwys in Newfoundland te bedryf, raak. Laastens word die onderwyshervormings vanuit sekere perspektiewe in oenskou geneem en die standpunte van sommige Newfoundlandse opvoedkundiges word gestel. In die slotbeskouing word ook enkele probleme ge'identifiseer. Die bespreking word egter hoofsaaklik gewy aan aspekte van die onderwys wat alreeds verbetering toon soos onder andere onderwysbeheer en onderwysorganisasie, ouerbetrokkenheid, curriculumontwikkeling en onderwyskundige ontwikkeling. Die toekoms sal bepaal hoe hierdie omvangryke en omvattende onderwysveranderings die sosio-kulturele dimensies van die Newfoundlandse gemeenskap sal be'invloed, terwyl dit die belofte inhou om 'n dinamiese verbetering te bewerkstellig.