PCs, Green leader unimpressed with Liberal role in improved test scores

The opposition parties in the P.E.I. Legislature weren't ready to congratulate the government for P.E.I. student'simproved results in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

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The resultsreleased Tuesdayshowed the province bouncingback from poor results in reading, math and sciencein 2012.

P.E.I. is now above average when compared to 72 countries in the assessment, and middle of the pack among provinces.

PCs and Greens both critical

But Green Party Leader Peter Bevan-Bakerthinks the government may be celebrating the PISA results too quickly, because of the ongoing schools review that is looking at the possibility of rezoning, grade reconfigurations and school closures.

"I wonder whether the improvement in PISA scores that we're seeing today are the results of the changes that have been made 12 or 15 years ago in the system, which this government is now so hastily dismantling," he said in the legislature Tuesday evening. "I think that's a question we need to ask."

The Progressive Conservatives, meanwhile, accused the government of making teachers teach to the test, preparing students for those specific questions but not necessarily improving their learning.

After the results were released, the Education Minister Doug Currie said it was due to collaboration with teachers, "targeting gaps" and "quality instructional strategies."

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