Petition calls for back to basics math in Alberta schools

A petition calling for return to back-to-basics math instruction in Alberta schools now has nearly 10,000 signatures.

The petition was started by Nhung Tran-Davies, a parent from Calmar, Alta.

Tran-Davies and other parents were invited to the Alberta legislature on Tuesday by Wildrose education critic Bruce McAllister.

McAllister and the parents behind the petition are concerned the province is moving towards a “discovery-based” system where the students figure out what learning method works best for them.

“Alberta students are graduating from our education system less prepared for the real world and less prepared for what lies in front of them, and it's because the Alberta Education is trumpeting this flawed method of teaching,” McAllister said.

But education minister Jeff Johnston says there's a lot of misinformation out there. 

"There is no desire in Alberta to move to some discovery-based model where I've read that the teacher is the partner and the student is completely self-directed ... It's rubbish," he said.

"We're going to take the best of what we've got, we're going to take the best practices from around the world, we're going to implement the things that employers and parents and educators are telling us we need to do."

Tran-Davies wants Johnston to make changes by September. Johnston says he will look at the six demands made by Tran-Davies but says he can't commit to making changes.