Most Canadians Say Public School System Heading in Wrong Direction, Want Back to Basics: Survey

High school students in London, Ont., in a file photo. Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images4/4/2026|Updated: 4/4/2026More than half of Canadians say the country’s public school system has gone in the “wrong direction” over the past two decades, and support a return to traditional teaching methods and discipline practices, according to a recent poll.The poll, conducted by Leger on behalf of SecondStreet.org, indicated 53 percent of people surveyed believe kindergarten to Grade 12 education has headed in the “wrong direction” in the last 20 years—up from 32 percent in a similar poll conducted in 2020.