As we navigate the rapid pace of technological change, it’s clear that Alberta’s future will be shaped by the next generation of innovative thinkers and tech-savvy problem-solvers. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies are transforming the world around us, and it’s crucial that we prepare our youth to thrive in this dynamic environment.
The biggest challenge we face is that we are not preparing our students early enough to meet the demands of a technology-driven future. Our curriculum and teacher training programs are outdated and need to evolve to reflect the rapidly advancing world we live in. Alberta is falling behind.
Our computer science curriculum was last updated in 2009 — the same year many of us bought our first iPhone. Here we are, years later, with only one high school course focused on AI and no concrete plans for expanding that. Meanwhile, countries like Israel are overhauling their curriculum and are working with over 400 technology companies to train 70,000 teachers to deliver cutting-edge tech education.
With over $9 billion allocated to K-12 education — our second-largest budget item after health care — the question must be asked: how are we using this funding to prepare students for a future that is rapidly becoming more uncertain? How can we justify a 40 per cent failure rate on grade 9 math exams when math is a critical component for not just university programs but trades as well?
Organizations like Amii (Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) are already working to bring AI and other technical components into the classroom, but we need to do more. By embedding technology and digital literacy into the core curriculum, we can give our students the skills they need to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Social studies and other subjects must evolve to help students think critically about the world they are shaping with technology. The newly established STEM Collegiate in Edmonton and STEM Innovation Academy in Calgary are promising steps forward, but we need these initiatives to be part of a broader and more comprehensive effort to make such education accessible to all students, particularly those in underserved communities.
We must also prioritize the professional development of our teachers. We cannot expect them to prepare students for the future without providing them with the tools, resources, and ongoing training they need. Teachers themselves are calling for better training in critical STEM areas, especially in fields like AI.
We also need to expand Alberta’s post-secondary tech capacity to meet the growing demand for skilled workers. The future workforce will need these skills, and we need to invest now to ensure that we have the infrastructure in place to meet that demand. We’re already investing billions in K-12 schools, so why aren’t we doing the same for post-secondary spaces? If we don’t start expanding our post-secondary capacity now, we will continue to see high school grade inflation, with students needing nearly perfect grades just to get into post-secondary programs. This is shutting out many talented and capable young people who could contribute to Alberta’s future prosperity.
The bottom line is this: we must take immediate, bold action to ensure that Alberta’s education system is preparing our youth for a future shaped by technology and AI. We can no longer afford to be complacent.
