Schools Should Educate Rather Than Indoctrinate

Commentary Students across Canada are now back in classrooms. As the new school year begins, let’s encourage schools to focus on what matters most—teaching and learning. There is no doubt room for improvement. According to results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the math skills of 15-year-old students across Canada declined by 35 points from 2003 to 2022. To put this in perspective, PISA equates 20 points with approximately one grade level. This means that the math skills of Canadian students are almost two grade levels below where they were 20 years ago. Things aren’t much better in reading since Canadian students declined in this subject by 27 points (more than a full grade level) over the same period....