THINK GLOBALLY Education Minister proposes international classroom
project to solve world challenges
DANIEL MCHARDIE
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL
Published Monday November 19th, 2007
Appeared on page a1
FREDERICTON - Connected by the Internet and a common purpose, New Brunswick students
may soon be tackling some of the world's most pressing problems with counterparts sitting in
classrooms half a world away.
Education Minister Kelly Lamrock began pitching an international classroom project to the
Conference des Ministres de l'Education des Pays Francophone during its recent meeting in
Lomé, Togo, and it could be approved in 2008 at its next meeting in Caraquet.
Of all the challenges facing the global community now, whether it is climate change,international
poverty,pandemics or intellectual property rights, Lamrock said these issues will require solutions
that go beyond national governments and leaders who can think beyond their borders. So the
education minister, who is serving as the chairman of the group of education ministers from La
Francophonie, is lobbying for the project that will begin forging a generation of internationallyminded
leaders.
"What if a classroom in Saint John at Prince Charles school could be linked with a classroom in
Lomé, Togo and through computers and e-mail, the students work jointly for a year on coming up
with a solution to one of those global problems," Lamrock said."And the classrooms with the best
solutions would have a chance to present it to ministers at a meeting of a La Francophonie." The
seed of the idea was planted during a conversation with a former senior executive at the World
Bank during a recent conference in Finland, who observed the need to train students to think
globally. A few days later, Lamrock was in the west African country, touring schools with other
education ministers, when the concept of a formal international classroom project f lourished.
Whether the entire group of La Francophonie countries embrace the initiative will be seen next
year at the Caraquet summit, but Lamrock said he's made enough contacts that he's already
finding the funding for a New Brunswick school to link up with another interested school.
Before leaving Togo, Lamrock visited classrooms filled with 60 students and dropped into literacy
centres, which are combating the scourge of illiteracy with community-based plans. Battling
problems that far surpass ones on this continent with a fraction of the financial resources,
Lamrock said since returning he has been looking at smaller initiatives, such as book drives, to
help these centres.
Engaging New Brunswick students with their African counterparts, whether through formal
partnerships or sending books to literacy centres, goes beyond the immediate educational benefit,
Lamrock said.
"It's in our interest to engage Africa not only because it is the right thing to do from a
humanitarian perspective, but globally we know that where there is rampant poverty that is also
where you get political instability and extremism," he said. "If we want to see a world where our
neighbours are safe, stable democracies you have got to help leaders in those countries who want
to make democracy take root and lift their people out of poverty." Between his official meetings in
Finland and Togo, Lamrock stopped in France for a meeting with the chief of staff to the country's
federal education minister. Lamrock said the senior aide had read the New Brunswick
government's new education plan and was interested in the innovation fund for teachers.
Lamrock said the channels are being opened to examine ways to have teachers share innovative
teaching methods. The Liberal government just announced funding for 63 innovative educational
projects worth $145,660, all aimed at pioneering new ways to teach students that can then be
shared with teachers in other New Brunswick schools and now perhaps in France.
These foreign trips are important, Lamrock said, as they allow a chance for the government to
expand its presence abroad.
"In places like China or France, education opens the doors to talk trade and business," Lamrock
said.
"But even in countries in Africa, you can always learn where you can connect teachers or you can
expand the international opportunities for your students to learn."