Especially in the Information Age,
Knowledge Is Power
(and both should be spread widely)
Join the Revolution.
Free for Everyone
Making all levels of education, including college and university, completely free for every Canadian for life would make a profound improvement for generations to come.
In Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, many post-secondary institutions are largely public and students pay no tuition fees.
We're Not Robots
We also need to rethink the purpose of our education system. For more than a century, our public education system has been focused primarily on preparation for getting jobs of the type that were needed back then.
In today's society, we our education system to do much more for us. In addition to the current, conventional topics of study, a modern education system should teach:
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Personal care (e.g., money management, hygiene, nutrition, exercise)
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Household skills (e.g., cooking, cleaning, general maintenance, troubleshooting and repair)
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Medical skills (e.g., first-aid, CPR, basic pharmacology)
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Societal skills (e.g., tax preparation, law, volunteerism)
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Civilization skills (e.g., farming, shelter construction, water management, ecology)
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Safety training (e.g., electrical, mechanical, chemical, and biological)
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Harm reduction techniques (e.g., Epinephrine and Naloxone administration)
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Cultural understanding (e.g., Indigenous languages, foreign languages, culture, and world history)
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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training
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Social skills (e.g., interpersonal communication, relationship management, conflict resolution, networking)
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Technology skills (e.g., cybersecurity, device repair, basic computer programming)
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Productivity skills (e.g., time management, working-from-home)
Vocational Training
Beyond the pragmatic need to fill our workforce with people possessing the most in-demand skills, we must also provide for education in topics of personal interest. Many life paths could lead a person to take advantage of vocational education, such as to land a dream job in a new field, keep busy during retirement, or just to satisfy a personal scientific curiosity which would also provide great benefit to Canadians or people in need around the world.
Regardless why someone chooses more education we should support their decision and their education should always be free.
Education for Change
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
― Nelson Mandela
A Fair Education for All
The purpose of our education system is to provide Canadians with the skills and experience needed to be productive at work and lead a fulfilling life. An alternative to our public system, private schools provide tailored education (e.g., focusing on arts, sports, religion, language, or alternative education philosophies) to families who are able to afford these unique learning paths. The RPC believes families should continue to have the right to choose the private school path.
With that said, one glaring exception stands in the way of systemic equality in Canadian education. One specific group - which represents a minority of Canadians - has a private education system which is supported by the Canadian government and unfairly enjoys easy access to property taxes...