A number of key issues in the education system are on the mandate set by Manitoba's Minister of Education. Portage MLA and Minister of Education Ian Wishart says he's looking to improve the quality of education in Manitoba schools, after seeing a drop in numbers in recent history.

"My mandate, of course, is to try and get better results from the education system. Then adding the trade part to the portfolio brings in the whole aspect of the connection between education and the apprenticeship system and some of the other college situations like Red River and Assiniboine Community College and how we can get that working better with the education system."

He says there is something in the mandate that hasn't been done before, which could pose a challenge.

"The mandate includes a lot of things including early years, and how we will work with child care in the system, and how we can get that working more closely with the schools. That is something that hasn't been done before so it's a particular challenge."

Wishart says having a mandate is important because it keeps everyone working in the right direction.

"Well it gives you a goal...to try and make things better. It doesn't always give you the process though, so we'll certainly have to work with some of the staff and consult with some of the organizations to try and get on a path that we can all agree to work on."