New science curriculum draws concerns from some teachers across the province

A new science curriculum is being rolled out this fall. CTV's Joseph Bernacki explains.

Manitoba tutors say students across the province need more help than ever—especially in science.

“It’s not just the basic memorization of the aspects of science like the definitions or the recalls or what the formulas are, but it’s really the difficulty with the critical thinking, the application-based problems,” said Chelsea Arns, director of education and tutor for Tutorbright.

On Thursday, Arns said students are still falling through the cracks since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Grade 5, 6, or 7 during those pandemic years, those are strong foundational years for math, where if you do go into science in Grade 10, 11 [or] 12, a lot of science is math foundations,” she said.

The comments come as the province prepares to roll out a new science curriculum this fall.

Arns said the changes have pros and cons, but she hopes they will lead to academic success.

Latika Raisinghani, an assistant professor at the University of Winnipeg’s Faculty of Education, said more than 90 teachers have been piloting the new program since 2024.

Raisinghani has been getting feedback and says it will take time to adapt.

“When we think about curriculum, it’s not just a single document,” Raisinghani said. “To translate it into lived experiences for students, teachers need to be well-supported—and that’s where this research comes in.”

But early feedback has also included concerns.

“A number of teachers who have piloted the curriculum used a lot of adjectives like ‘unclear,’ ‘vague,’ and ‘inconsistent,’ so there’s still some difficulties with the new curriculum,” said Lillian Klausen, president of Manitoba Teachers’ Society.

Klausen said teachers aren’t clear on how to use Indigenous ways of knowing in class.

Her members say limited resources and a lack of training may impact success rates.

“Some of the vague language that is used, [needs to] be looked over to make sure that teachers who are new to the profession or looking at the curriculum for the first time really understand what their role is,” Klausen said.

In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for Education Minister Tracy Schmidt said, “Manitoba has introduced a renewed Kindergarten to Grade 10 Science curriculum designed to be contemporary, inclusive, and aligned with current scientific understanding.”

The spokesperson said the curriculum was developed with input from more than 100 stakeholders and piloted in classrooms over two years. It aims to strengthen inquiry, hands-on learning, and real-world problem-solving while honouring Indigenous knowledge systems.

The province says the updated curriculum is intended to boost student achievement through clearer learning outcomes and more engaging experiences, adding that early feedback from educators has been “strongly positive” and that ongoing input will continue to shape future refinements.