Social studies, arts shouldn't be on N.L.'s curriculum chopping block, says Grade 9 student

Some of the possible curriculum changes coming to junior high schools in Newfoundland and Labrador will hurt low-income families, says Grade 9 student Matilda Carr. 

The Department of Education is changing the curriculum for grades 7 to 9 students across the province. Partial course selection is part of the proposed changes that could lead to cuts in social studies and arts programming. 

"I do choir, I do band, and I think it gives a lot of good opportunities since a lot of the programs are expensive. Most students don't have the opportunity to do that outside of school," Carr said. 

Fourteen junior high schools in the province will trial the curriculum changes in the 2025-26 school year. The changes allow students to choose some of their classes by partially opting out of social studies and core French, and completely dropping art and music.

Math, science, English, health, and physical education will remain mandatory. 

Carr questions why social studies is facing cuts. According to the Department of Education, students will be required to take one module, equalling 49 hours of social studies, every academic year between grades 7 and 9.

Currently, students receive 92 hours of social studies instructional time. Carr said it's important for students to learn about the world and history to understand its impact on people's lives. 

"I really don't see why gym is going to be prioritized over social studies," she said. "People would probably rather do gym than learn about Canadian history, but it's surprising to me that it's being viewed as ... a more important course."

Under the upcoming curriculum changes, junior high students in the English stream can opt out of core French after less than a year of instruction — which the department encourages students to complete in Grade 7. 

Carr welcomes this change. She is a French immersion student, but said opting out of core French may help students whose first language is not English.

"It would definitely be really overwhelming for them trying to balance learning English and having to take French," she said. 

'Destroy music programs'

The option to choose and opt out of some courses is part of a broader curriculum overhaul that is meant to improve outcomes in subjects like math and English and improve student engagement.

Retired music teacher Korona Brophy said middle school students are too young to choose their courses.

"They'll choose what their friends want or what their parents want, and I still feel that they're too young to do that at this point," Brophy said.

She worries about the fate of school music programs if the curriculum changes are fully introduced in 2027.

"If they do this, it's going to destroy ... the music programs," Brophy said. "After Grade 6, the kids are going to float around and figure out what they want to do. I feel it's too young for them to do this."

The ability to opt out of music programs in Grade 7, she says, will have a trickle-down effect on high schools, where teachers like Robert Colbourne at Holy Heart of Mary Regional High School in St. John's have been nominated for the Juno's Music Teacher of the Year Award.

"Band programs are going to suffer, and the choral music will suffer," Brophy said.

Rural urban divide

Canadian Parents for French N.L. are also concerned about the province's curriculum changes.

Walter Parsons said most French immersion schools are located in the St. John's metro area. Core French is the only French education students receive in rural parts of the province.

"Core French is the way to deliver French programming," Parsons said. "We believe there shouldn't be a divide inside the overpass versus outside the overpass."

The following schools will pilot the curriculum changes in September 2025:

• Bay d'Espoir Academy, St. Alban's
• Brookside Intermediate, Portugal Cove-St. Phillip's
• Corner Brook Intermediate, Corner Brook
• Exploits Valley High, Grand Falls-Windsor
• Holy Spirit High School, Conception Bay South
• Holy Trinity High School, Torbay
• Juniper Ridge Intermediate, Torbay
• Laval High School, Placentia
• Lewisporte Intermediate, Lewisporte
• Mealy Mountain Collegiate, Happy Valley-Goose Bay
• Pasadena Academy, Pasadena
• Queen of Peace Middle School, Happy Valley-Goose Bay
• St. Lawrence Academy, St. Lawrence
• Villanova Junior High, Conception Bay South

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