Public education is essential to a civilized society. It provides individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to fully participate in and contribute to their community. It also helps to create a more equal and just society by providing everyone with access to education, regardless of their socio-economic status or other factors. Public education helps to promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and it can also foster a sense of civic responsibility and social cohesion. In addition, research has shown that public education has a number of positive impacts on society, including improved health outcomes, increased economic growth, and a reduction in crime rates. And yet, despite all the evidence that public education plays a crucial role in the development and prosperity of any society, it is under threat in Canada. So today, I play devil’s advocate to Dr. Prachi Srivastava. Dr. Srivastava is a tenured Associate Professor, Western University, specialising in education and global development. She is also Member, World Bank Expert Advisory Council on Citizen Engagement, and Senior Research Fellow, NORRAG. She has been invited to provide expertise and commentary on COVID-19 education disruptions by the UNICEF Office of Global Insight and Policy, UNESCO, the BE2 education donor working group, and a range of global and Canadian civil society and non-governmental organisations. Needless to say, she could write the book on the value of public education but today we’re going to write a different book. We’ll call it the The Dummies Guide to Dismantling Public Education, where we explore the critical juncture in the education system and discuss the alarming issues that threaten to dismantle the well-functioning public education system in Canada. We break down the steps that those looking to dismantle public education might take and highlight the evidence that supports the importance of public education for society and individuals. We also discuss the motivations behind efforts to dismantle public education and the potential consequences of such actions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices