An education use to be something regarded as an honour in centuries past, an achievement that few in normal life from centuries past would achieve beyond the basic level of elementary school, if they were lucky. The benefits of an education have always been analogous to the falling domino scenario, a good education covering the basics of English, mathematics, and social studies would usually lead to a lifetime of success in other areas of life, even if the competence of the person in question was somewhat dubious.
Education in the 21st century is coming back full circle upon itself, like all things in life, educational values, beliefs, and requirements have changed through the years, and it’s now, once again, becoming of greater value to the young and old in the world. Realising the necessity for a good well rounded education as a foundation upon which to build the specialized skills they will need to compete. Students, teachers, and educational professionals of all ages and walks of life are coming to understand the need to make full use of the time students spend in school.
A growing problem in recent years, absenteeism in Canadian high schools has been as low as 77 percent in recent times, a number that has a direct effect on the low percentage of Canadian high school students who graduate from our high schools, which has been making steady declines in recent years.
A pilot program launched in the Prince George school district, specifically at Prince George Secondary School has resulted in a significantly decreased absenteeism rate at the educational institution and its success has resulted in the Prince George School District board of education approving a second year for the pilot program. Absenteeism went from around 23 percent a few years ago, too around 10 percent this year, a noteworthy increase in students deciding to come to school.
One of the noted changes has been in inclusion of the rule that after students have been absent for the sixth time they are required to make up the time at school. I guess they weren’t required to make up the time before the changes were made, with that policy they would never catch up.
The reaction of students has been outstanding, with 230 additional students making the honour role in 2007 than in 2006, a perceptible difference, and one that other schools in the district have noted and are hoping to tap into with their own programs.
The benefits will be like dominos falling in the years to come as we continue to implement policies designed to bring students back into the class room. The first and most important of which at this moment being the increase in time the teachers and administrators will be spending on educating the next generation, instead of convincing them of the benefits of staying in school.
The other dominos may not be obvious at the moment but they will begin to appear as education becomes more valuable to the next generation. The benefits in culture, society and business of an increase in the perception that education for our youth is one of the most important tasks we as the older generation undertake, will begin to become more obvious as we head down this road together.
If one of your children is currently enrolled in a Canadian high school, get involved with your child’s education in a subtle way, let them know you know about the value of their education and you are there to help them if you’re able.
Then be ready to get involved if they request your involvement, every body needs help at some time, and high school is probably the hardest time for students, but with your involvement, love and understanding your child will be more successful and ultimately a better human.
After all, our school years are the formative years of our beliefs about the world and everything in it, so you might want to learn about what kind of human being you’ve help produce.
