20 Important Questions We Should Be Asking About Our Education System

20 Important Questions We Should Be Asking About Our Education System

Sometimes, the best way to understand what’s broken — and what needs to change — is to ask the right questions. Here are twenty that every student, parent, teacher, policymaker, and community member should be thinking about:

1. Who truly benefits from rising international student enrollment — the students, or the institutions?
2. Why is tuition for international students often several times higher than for local students?
3. Where is all that money going, and how much actually supports education versus administration?
4. Should schools be allowed to treat students as “revenue streams” rather than learners?
5. What responsibilities do governments have in regulating international recruitment?
6. Why do so many international students struggle to find safe, affordable housing?
7. How has the student housing crisis spilled over into the broader housing market?
8. Who monitors homestay programs to ensure safety and fairness for students?
9. Are local students losing opportunities because schools prioritize higher-paying international applicants?
10. What kind of cultural and social supports are in place to help students thrive beyond the classroom?
11. Why are some students promised pathways to permanent residency that may not materialize?
12. How much debt are families overseas taking on to send their children here — and at what cost?
13. What long-term risks does BC face if education becomes more about profit than learning?
14. Why aren’t communities given more of a voice in decisions that affect housing, transit, and services?
15. How transparent are universities and colleges about their international recruitment numbers?
16. Is it ethical to advertise Canadian education as a golden ticket, when for many it isn’t?
17. What lessons can be learned from other countries facing similar education-industry challenges?
18. How can we better balance opportunity for international students with fairness for local students?
19. What accountability measures should leaders face if the system fails students and communities?
20. Most importantly: are we building an education system that values learning, fairness, and dignity — or one that values profit above all else?

These are not easy questions, but they are essential. Change begins with asking — and refusing to accept silence as an answer.