Ah yes, it is back-to-school time. You may have read the Globe and Mail’s editorial in its Report on Business section about how Canadian innovation starts in the classroom.

I couldn’t have agreed more with both contributors-senior vice-president and chief economist of Bank of Nova Scotia, Warren Jestin, and vice-president of research and innovation at York University,  Stan Shapson-who argue that “fresh thinking about our ‘innovation ecosystem’ is needed for adapting to a rapidly evolving global economy.”

According to Jestin and Shapson, innovation means it’s time for governments, community leaders, schools and families to go back to the drawing board and come up with new ideas on how to integrate our K-12 sector, those  young, bright minds, into our innovation agenda. Even though governments have invested in skills training and post-secondary education, there is a pink elephant in the playground. In other words, if we really want Canada to be a leader in new economy, there needs to be collaboration across all sectors, chambers of commerce as well as schools, universities, colleges and families to foster an integrative educational platform for children-our future leaders, entrepreneurs and bright minds.

But I can’t help but wonder what all levels of governments are doing to reinforce their committed support especially when it comes to improving our educational infrastructure. I know there have been so-called improvements. I have friends who are teachers, young, experienced and even retirees, who say the curriculum is continually being reviewed and modified as the ministry sees fit. Almost to the point, in fact, that has become a nuisance, say many young teachers. Interestingly, during a dinner party with several teachers on the verge of retirement, I discovered their frustration with “keeping up with technology” and modifying their seasoned teaching styles to accommodate technologically-advanced students who live and breathe in a hyperactive, social networking-obsessed environment.

And yet, I find it ironic that there are literally thousands of grads fresh out of school that are highly-qualified, if not more technologically-savvy than the close-to-retirement teachers who are desperate to get back in the classroom. But too many are forced to work on-call, as supply teachers, for years before seeing a permanent posting. Meanwhile, retired teachers reap the rewards by calls to supply, depriving the newbies of gaining valuable experience.  If seasoned teachers are truly tired of the ‘system’ and ready to leave the classroom, why don’t they embrace this new stage in the careers?

Is the teacher’s pension not enough of an enticement for these retirees to give the younger generation a break? It’s the Gen-Y’s turn to rule the block.