Manitoba reverses course, will keep exams in place during assessment process overhaul

The Manitoba government is doubling back on plans to scrap some provincial exams in Grades 10 and 12.

"We've always said we're a listening government and sometimes … you have to re-evaluate your decisions. And based on the concerns expressed [by some who opposed the decision], we're reinstating provincial assessments," said Nello Altomare, Manitoba's minister of education.

"This is me. This is my decision."

In a letter sent at the end of February, deputy education minister Brian O'Leary informed school divisions that the NDP government was halting the Grade 12 provincial exams in math and English and the Grade 10 provincial evaluation, starting in the 2024-25 school year.

The intent was to review and redevelop the program to make sure that what students know is properly assessed and that instructors can gauge their success in teaching those students.

The overhaul was expected to take several years.

O'Leary's letter said the redevelopment would move the exams online to obtain results and analysis quicker.

The changes were also meant to ensure assessments are "integrated and aligned" in early, middle and senior years, and give teachers and policymakers data to help "meaningfully track cohorts of students from kindergarten through senior years."

On Tuesday, Altomare said the about-face was primarily based on feedback about students entering university or college and being shell-shocked by the demands.

"Kids need to be prepared for post-secondary and whatever pursuit they want to go down, whatever road they want to go down. I needed to give that a little more weight, and I did and changed our decision," he said.

"People in the field felt that this was really, really important that we continue, and we will."

'Are [exams] good for students or not?'

In the meantime, the government will still proceed with a redevelopment of the exams and assessment process, Altomare said.

"These are over 20 years old, plus they're not online. So we need to get them online," he said.

"All the assessments that we do through school — at Grade 3, at middle years and at senior years — I would like kids tracked through it. And we do that through putting them online and making sure that we can provide the resources based on … the results that we get."

Altomare anticipates it will take three to five years to complete the redevelopment.

During question period on Tuesday, PC MLA Grant Jackson (Spruce Woods) criticized Altomare for flip-flopping on the issue.

"What is this minister's actual view of provincial exams? Are they good for students or not?" he said.

Altomare said he refuses to politicize the issue.

"We've heard the concerns regarding provincial assessments and we're going to look at that again," he said during question period. "Not only are we going to reinstate them, but we're gonna get it right.

"Of course assessments play an important role in a student's life at school. We want to ensure that that piece continues."