Steinbach MLA, Kelvin Goertzen, says any strict no-fail policy in Manitoba schools has received an overwhelming thumbs down from residents of the City of Steinbach. More than 95% of respondents to a recent survey indicated they opposed a no-fail policy.
“What Steinbach residents have clearly said is that our education system is supposed to prepare students for the challenges of the world after school and that a no-fail policy doesn’t do that,” said Goertzen. “While a no-fail policy might seem compassionate on the face of it, residents overwhelmingly say that it can be harmful in the long-run to advance students when they are not able to manage at the next level.”
Earlier this month Goertzen distributed a survey to Steinbach residents asking whether they support or oppose no-fail policies which ensure that students are promoted a grade even when they have not met the academic requirements and against the advice of the teacher. The issue came to light earlier this year when the Manitoba Teachers Society released a survey that showed a significant portion of teachers have been pressured to advance their students a grade against the teachers advice and when the student had failed the course requirements.
Goertzen noted that strict policies rarely work in any system, including the education system.
“Their needs to be a discussion that involves teachers, administrators, parents and students when these decisions are made. There isn’t a one size fits all solution and ignoring the advice of teachers and often the advice of parents doesn’t achieve one of the main goals of education which is to prepare our kids for life outside of school,” said Goertzen.
Goertzen said he will share the results of the survey with his colleagues in the Legislature and it will be helpful as the Progressive Conservative Party moves towards a policy platform for the 2011 provincial election.
Goertzen noted that local school division officials have indicated that strict no-fail policies are not in place in the local division.
