Alberta to make Holocaust education mandatory
Posted Nov 11, 2023 12:30 pm.
Last Updated Nov 11, 2023 12:34 pm.
In an announcement Friday, the Alberta government said it is going to ensure learning the history of the Holocaust is mandatory for students.
The province says it will be working with partners in the education and Jewish communities to see what content should be covered.
Those include the Calgary Jewish Federation and the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, along with “other Jewish organizations.”
“I firmly believe we must do everything possible to combat rising antisemitism and educate young Albertans about the horrors of the Holocaust. Ensuring all students learn from one of history’s darkest chapters will help us confront hate and prevent similar atrocities from occurring,” said Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides in a news release.
Watch: Alberta to make Holocaust education mandatory
Stacey Leavitt-Wright, the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, says the announcement comes at a time when antisemitism has spiked across Canada and around the world and it’s crucial that the next generations learn about how hate surfaces.
“Whether it’s distortion of Holocaust history or misinformation about Hamas’s terrorist attacks, both are rooted in antisemitism, and this announcement demonstrates that the Alberta government is dedicated to fight hate in all its forms,” she said.
In addition, CEO of the Calgary Jewish Federation Adam Silver says creating an anti-racist society starts at the school-age level, and Holocaust education is an important tool in helping students learn about the underlying ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping.
“What is happening in our society today is an important warning around the need to teach the universal lessons of the Holocaust and the consequences of bigotry and hate,” he said in a statement.
This also follows B.C.’s announcement on Oct. 30, when it said would include mandatory Holocaust education for every grade 10 student as part of an expanded social studies curriculum.
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B.C. Premier David says this change will be implemented beginning in the 2025-26 school year.
In a post on X, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) welcomed the news, noting Alberta is the third province to implement mandatory Holocaust education in Canada.
“Education is vital in making sure ‘Never Again’ truly means #NeverAgain, and we thank Premiers Smith, Ford, and Eby for standing up to hate,” the post reads.
Ontario announced mandatory learning for Grade 6 students in 2022 and recently announced an expansion to Grade 10 high school students.
According to the Alberta government, students analyze ultranationalism as a cause of genocide in the current Grade 11 curriculum and include the study of the Holocaust.
In early 2024, the province will begin public engagement with Albertans, where they’ll have the chance to provide feedback on key learnings within the K-12 social studies curriculum.
-With files from Pippa Norman
