Education advocate says New Brunswick school system ‘is in crisis’

Education analyst Paul Bennett talks about New Brunswick students’ struggles in class.

An education advocate says the New Brunswick school system “is in crisis” as it deals with poor literacy and attendance rates.

Paul Bennett, director of the Schoolhouse Institute, has written a new book about the challenges facing New Brunswick students called “Struggling in Class.”

“Over a succession of years, (New Brunswick has) had two 10-year plans that set specific goals and they fell short of all of them,” Bennett told CTV News Atlantic’s Todd Battis. “Literacy and numeracy scores are terrible, among the worst.

“Student wellbeing is very much in question with chronic absenteeism. Very many kids are acting out. The school system is in crisis.”

Last month, New Brunswick’s auditor general said no provincial literacy targets for students were met from July 2022 to June 2025. Following the report, New Brunswick announced a 12-year education plan for anglophone and francophone school systems.

Data from September 2025 to May 2026 showed more than 30 per cent of students between kindergarten and Grade 12 were chronically absent in New Brunswick.

Bennett said parents and teachers are struggling to help kids reach those education targets.

“There’s burnout among teachers,” he said. “I’m very sympathetic to the teachers. Parents and caregivers are struggling to keep kids on the straight and narrow so they can go on to live purposeful and successful lives.”

Despite the challenges, Bennett said his book tries to be hopeful as it looks for possible solutions.

“There are 35 recommendations in the form of a report cards suggesting ways in which the province can turn things around,” he said. “There need to be tough decisions made right away to reset the education system.”

“Struggling in Class” will be released in the fall.

With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Lauren Roulston and Nick Moore

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