Government & Policy
UPDATE on Minister’s Review of PSE System
The review process initiated in June continues to evolve. On September 16th, the Minister announced that Advanced Education is launching a new round of stakeholder consultations and an online survey, designed to gather input from the public ‘to help shape the directions and ideas of the ‘A Learning Alberta Policy Framework’.
The ministry’s ‘Information Package for Discussions’, entitled ‘A Learning Alberta Dialogue and Direction’, gives the rationale for the review process, and lays out the draft policy framework which Advanced Ed has put together as the basis for the series of regional meetings with invited stakeholders which began this morning in Grande Prairie. At the request of the ministry, ACIFA is sending local representatives to meetings in Grande Prairie, Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge and Fort McMurray.
The Information Package also supports the public online survey. Feedback from Albertans via this survey is to be reported to the Minister’s Forum, which is now scheduled for Edmonton, November 1-2. Deadline for submissions is November 2, 2005. ACIFA is urging its associations to publicize this chance for individual academic staff members to participate personally in the official review process.
Meanwhile, we remind you that Public Interest Alberta (PIA) has mounted its own public advocacy campaign designed to ensure that the government hears Albertans’ concerns and suggestions about the future of post-secondary education in this province. The PIA website gives the public the opportunity to rate the government’s performance through a ‘Post-Secondary Education Report Card’, and, by a direct e-mail link, to send comments to the Minister and local MLAs.
The latest press release from PIA emphasizes the importance of holding the government to account in this way, and provides further details for the public forums on post-secondary which PIA is hosting around Alberta in the coming weeks.
John Nicholls
ACIFA Research & Liaison Officer