Public vs. Private Education: Part II - Do Private Schools Complement the Public System? (Part 1)

For much of our history, public education has been dominant in Canada. But the earliest schools were private, religious institutions and they are still the choice for a significant number of parents. About 6 per cent of children in Canada attend private schools. Why pay $10,000 - $30,000 per child per year to send them to a private school? Do they get a better education than their peers at public school? Or is it just snob-value? Duane Plantinga is an advocate for private, independent schools. He is the Executive Director of the Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta. Mr. Plantinga will provide a general overview of schools of choice in the province and describe the various types of independent schools. He will explain how independent schools are financed and governed, including the accountability factor in these private institutions. Speaker: Duane Plantinga Duane Plantinga has 33 years of experience in the education sector. Prior to joining the Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta in 2000, he served as a teacher, curriculum coordinator, and principal in both elementary and secondary schools in Alberta and British Columbia. He holds an M.Ed. from the University of Alberta.