The former chair of the South Shore Regional School Board says Nova Scotia’s new education system lacks transparency.
It’s been nearly a year since the province decided to adopt recommendations from the Glaze Report on education.
In response to a story we recently aired on concerns from parents on the chain of command in the regional centres for educations, Education Minister Zach Churchill said the executive director’s role is no different than their former position as superintendent.
Theresa Griffin says that’s absolutely untrue.
“(The superintendent) was required to answer and respond to questions at regular public school board meetings and that’s completely missing now.”
She says without those meetings, the public has no way of knowing how decisions are made and why money is being spent.
Griffin was a part of the province’s transition committee last summer.
The committee looked at giving more say to school advisory councils (SACs) as well as the creation of the Provincial Advisory Council on Education (PACE).
“People who were part of the transition committee didn’t feel this was an appropriate approach, you’re sort of forced into making the best out of a bad situation.”
She says giving the councils more say is good, but it still doesn’t go as far as what the South Shore Regional School Board (SSRSB) intended to do with them.
According to Griffin, the former SSRSB planned on giving SACs more say in who would be principal at their schools.
As far as PACE is concerned, Griffin questioned its ability to affect change in government, as it’s “just” an advisory council.
Story by Brittany Wentzell
Twitter: @BrittWentzell
Email: wentzell.brittany@radioabl.ca
