Collaborations for learning begin with our treaty obligations on shared Mi’kmaw territory. Our educational policies and practices must recognize and honour Indigenous ecological knowledge and agreements for sharing as expressed in Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.

I and the Green Party express our gratitude to the Mi’kmaq for sharing their understanding of msit no’kmaq, the interconnectedness of all things. We will strive to emphasize this concept through inclusive learning, integrated curriculum, and safe, respectful, healthy, and sustainable indoor and outdoor learning environments.

Green MLAs will collaborate with other MLAs and Nova Scotians to:

1. Support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action for education in consultation with survivors, Indigenous peoples, and educators by:
2. Developing age-appropriate curriculum for grade primary to grade 12 students on residential “schools,” Treaties, and Indigenous people’s historical and contemporary contributions to Canada,
3. Providing the necessary funding to postsecondary institutions to educate teachers on how to integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into classrooms,
4. Providing the necessary funding to First Nations schools to utilize Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods in classrooms,
5. Providing an education on comparative religious studies, including a segment on Indigenous spiritual beliefs and practices developed in collaboration with Elders.
6. Aim to rebuild our educational system by participating in community-based consultative processes for decision-making that include Mi’kmaq, African Nova Scotian communities, Acadian, 2SLGBTQQIA+, disabled, and newcomer communities, early childhood educators, teachers, school staff, and representative unions, parents, students, and community members. 
7. Introduce targeted training and programmes related to respect for diversity, anti-oppression, and anti-racism.
8. Develop a whole school approach that introduces environmental studies and climate action as an integrated and cross-curricular subject at all grade levels, from primary to 12, in partnership with Mi’kmaw communities and in consultation with school-based and community groups.

"Hire more educational staff to ensure schools have the personnel they need to run smoothly and provide a high quality education" — Better Deal for Nova Scotians, retrieved 2024-11-09

"Invest in professional development for existing school staff and new hires, increasing their capacity to support students who have complex needs" — Better Deal for Nova Scotians, retrieved 2024-11-09

Greens believe that equitable access to postsecondary education should be provided, thereby supporting opportunities for all learners to realize their unique potential to develop into citizens who will contribute the skills, expertise, and knowledge that will sustain our communities and our province.

Green MLAs will collaborate with other MLAs and Nova Scotians to:

1. Support retraining incentives, programmes and courses in postsecondary institutions to provide a just transition to climate change employment.
2. Eliminate tuition fees at Nova Scotia Community College for Nova Scotia residents
3. Work towards free tuition for all resident domestic students at all postsecondary institutions in Nova Scotia.
4. Provide free postsecondary education to youth who were formerly in care.
5. Provide targeted strategies for specific areas in education and students living in poverty or in care.
6. Provide coherent support for emerging immigrant and refugee communities for students.
7. Address factors such as housing affordability and career prospects to support transitions to green jobs in Nova Scotia in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and forestry.

The Green Party of Nova Scotia believes that education should ensure equitable access to programs and resources for lifelong learning, including in postsecondary institutions. Inclusive education means supporting opportunities for all learners to realize their unique potential to develop into citizens who will contribute the skills, expertise, and knowledge that will sustain our communities and our province.

Consultation and collaboration begins with our treaty obligations on shared Mi’kmaw territory. Our educational policies and practices must recognize and honour Indigenous ecological knowledge and agreements for sharing as expressed in Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. We express our gratitude to the Mi’kmaq for sharing their understanding of msit no’kmaq, the interconnectedness of all things, and strive to emphasize this concept through inclusive learning, integrated curriculum, and safe, respectful, healthy, and sustainable indoor and outdoor learning environments.

Green MLAs will collaborate with other MLAs and Nova Scotians to:

1. Support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action for education in consultation with survivors, Indigenous peoples, and educators by:
2. Developing appropriate post-secondary programs and courses on Indigenous knowledges, Treaties, and Indigenous people’s historical and contemporary contributions to Canada, by participating in community-based consultative processes for decision-making that include the Mi’kmaq. 
3. Address factors such as housing affordability, career prospects, and lower-than-average wage growth to support green transitions in Nova Scotia.
4. Support retraining incentives, programmes and courses in postsecondary institutions to provide a just transition to climate change employment.
5. Work towards free tuition for all resident domestic students at all postsecondary institutions in Nova Scotia.
6. Provide free postsecondary education to youth who were formerly in care.

I will support initiatives to quickly establish low-cost, energy-efficient, well-sited housing options to support green transitions in Nova Scotia.

"A Nova Scotia Liberal government will release the Student Housing Strategy that Tim Houston has been sitting on." — Better Deal for Nova Scotians, retrieved 2024-11-09

"Ensure appropriate zoning to encourage density near our province’s universities so students have a place to live" — Better Deal for Nova Scotians, retrieved 2024-11-09

"Initiate a proactive, long-term strategy for building schools across the province that accounts for the future growth of our communities" — Better Deal for Nova Scotians, retrieved 2024-11-09

"Implement the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies educational curriculum in all elementary schools to help all students improve their emotional and social competency" — Better Deal for Nova Scotians, retrieved 2024-11-09

Many Nova Scotians have concerns about unsafe school and classroom conditions and incidents, insufficient levels of staffing and resources for all learners, and governmental disregard for responding to local needs. This crisis has worsened due to inadequate funding, struggles of families and individuals for basic necessities, and lack of governmental consultation and informed decision-making.

Green MLAs will work with other MLAs and Nova Scotians to:

1. Introduce targeted training and programmes related to respect for diversity, anti-oppression, and anti-racism.
2. Support initiatives that address the Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union’s demands for dealing with and preventing school violence, including provision for adequate human resources, clear consequences for incidents of violence, clear reporting requirements and safe and secure responses related to lock down and evacuation, and province-wide training dedicated to school safety.

"Ensure the new Code of Conduct gives school administrators the power they deserve, including the power to suspend students and address problem behaviours. It will give administrators the ability to use their professional judgement to find the balance between an individual students' right to education with the broader student bodies' right to learn in a safe environment." — Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10

"Hire two police officers to work within the Department of Education and focus exclusively on supporting school teams across the Province with security protocols, incident prevention and incident response." — Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10

"Implement a course with a focus on developing strategies and skills for building and maintaining mental health in all high schools." — Better Deal for Nova Scotians, retrieved 2024-11-09

"As of 2022, less than 9% of trades apprentices in Nova Scotia were women. We will never overcome our province’s labour shortage and get more housing built if we are only training half of the available workforce. A Nova Scotia Liberal government will invest $10M to increase training for women at NSCC in trades directly related to housing, with a goal to double the number of women being trained over five years. We will:

ʘ Increase the number of spots available for women to study a trade at NSCC,

ʘ Invest to develop programming for all ages to show young women that careers in the trades are dynamic, high-paying jobs that help our communities, and

ʘ Expand NSCC’s Women Unlimited program, which has already helped 1,000 women explore trades and technology education and find meaningful careers."

— Better Deal for Nova Scotians, retrieved 2024-11-09