Quebec Premier Pauline Marois delivers opening remarks as Education Minister Pierre Duchesne listens at the education summit Monday.Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press
The best of the web on education from kindergarten to postsecondary, as chosen by Globe and Mail education editor Simona Chiose.
The Ticker was on holiday in Mexico, where fights over reforms to all levels of the education system are periodically paralyzing the country, but now it's back.
What is parents' role in helping with tuition?
Students and universities across Canada will be watching the Quebec university summit starting today. Going into the summit, the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Quebec has just asked the government to consider including reforms to the province's student loan system in the discussions. It has suggested that the family income level at which parents are expected to contribute be set at $45,000. The whole question of how much and under what circumstances parents are expected to contribute to their kids education is pretty fraught. A 2010 study, for example, pointed out that many of the reasons that parents may not wish to contribute to a student's education are not considered sufficient reason to forgo helping. These included not agreeing with the program of study or the student's living arrangements. A conversation for a national summit perhaps.
Education part of U.S. foreign policy
International education is now one of the top priorities for American foreign policy. Programs to bring students from Middle East countries to the United States have been 'ramped up,' a State Department official said recently. At the same time, protests and unrest in Egypt and Libya among other countries have prevented American students from studying in the region.
The half-full PhD glass
Interesting numbers here on the numbers of PhDs who land academic jobs. In some disciplines, like engineering, the percentage is under 10 but that may well be because industry jobs shine brighter – and pay better. In the humanities and social sciences the percentages are 30 to 40 per cent, which is disastrous if the professoriate was presented as the only option, but pretty good if it is only one of several.
More Education
Follow me on Twitter here and The Globe and Mail's Education team here .