Declining Educational Performance in Saskatchewan: A Call for Action
Saskatchewan's educational performance has declined significantly, with reading scores dropping 15 points in the PISA assessment, equating to a full year of learning lost. The province ranks near the bottom in math and reading compared to other Canadian provinces, indicating deeper issues that need urgent attention.
What does it mean?
Over the past four years, we’ve seen a notable slowdown in education in the province of Saskatchewan.
The PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) “focuses on the abilities of 15-year-old students as they approach the end of their compulsory education. Conducted every three years, it assesses mathematical, reading, and scientific literacy, offering a deeper dive into one of these areas during each assessment cycle.”
According to the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, “In terms of reading, Saskatchewan's test scores fell by 15 points, from 499 to 484, marking a steeper drop than the Canadian average of 13 points (from 520 to 507). PISA suggests that a 15-point drop represents a full year of learning, so this is quite a significant decrease. When compared to other provinces in 2022, Saskatchewan ranked second last in math, third worst in reading, and found itself in the middle range for science.”
Our neighbor, Alberta, excelled nationally with reading scores that were 41 points higher than those in Saskatchewan, 36 points better in math, and ranked second in science with a 40-point advantage. So, it’s hard to dismiss Saskatchewan’s results as merely a Prairie issue. With that 15-point drop representing a year’s worth of learning, it indicates that Saskatchewan students may be about three years behind Alberta in reading, math, and science. While we don’t have city-specific data, the size of the Regina Public School Board suggests that these trends likely apply to students in Regina as well.
It might be tempting to attribute the learning loss to COVID, but Alberta and other Canadian provinces faced similar challenges, yet their learning gaps are not as pronounced.
While it's encouraging that Saskatchewan still outperforms several countries on these tests, there are certainly reasons for concern. The long-term trend shows a decline in test scores here, indicating that we need to address the direction of education in Saskatchewan moving forward.
Let your voice be heard.
Email Saskatchewan’s Minister of Education today.
Email your Regina Public School Board Trustee in your division today.
Email your Regina Catholic School Board Trustees today.