The Governance of Eduction

The structure of Manitoba Education is one that is functional, but has many areas that could be scrutinized. As a teacher I think it is important to understand the sequence of the public education system.  If teachers are unaware of where decisions are made and the delegation process, then it is impossible to illicit change if desired.

Teachers are at the bottom of the governance structure followed by the principal, the school, and the superintendent. The superintendent of schools is responsible for hiring new teachers along with the principals. Above the superintendent of schools, is the school division and school board. Finally, the provincial government regulates all school division within their province and sets curriculum standards.
The interesting part about having school boards, I believe is the fact that they are elected politicians rather than educators. This does not mean that some school board officials have an education background; nevertheless, it is not a requirement. I believe that school board officials should have more of a connection to the schools because that way they would have a better vision when setting budgets, funding, goals, and policy. Despite the fact they could have more experience with budgeting, sometimes I feel that decisions made, would be different with experience in the schools or school environment. Individual schools should have more input on the budget because it is directly effecting them day to day.

Public School systems are not simplistic and despite the thought that is invested into decision making, there will still be schools, teachers, or school divisions that do not agree.  As education continues to evolve, structure, budgets, and curriculum will continue to change. Although change is not always the best for all individuals, those that are passionate about an issue should fight for its implementation or preservation. As teachers, we are able to participate in this with the help of others and hopefully education will continue to improve in the future.