Province ignores education deficiencies
Vancouver Courier
November 13, 2009
By Noel Herron

Re: "Research shows children enter school vulnerable," Nov. 4.

Province-wide, cutting edge, research--some of the best in Canada--by UBC's dedicated researchers Clyde Hertzman and Paul Kershaw has underlined, in spades, what they call the "unacceptable" situation whereby 60 per cent of the children in the Strathcona area have difficulty in at least one key area of early childhood development. Yet Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid boasts that "this government has its priorities straight" and Mary Polak, the minister of children and family development, talks about "administrative efficiencies" with both ministers averring that they "are keen on early learning initiatives."

Some progress. Some initiatives.