EDUCATION
A Canadian education
In international comparison tests, Canada’s school students rank among the best in the world. In a bilingual country with no integrated national education system and no federal department of education, however, relocating parents will need to navigate different systems across the 13 jurisdictions. We take a look at considerations for families seeking a school.
C
anada’s young people rank among the world’s top-performing school students, according to the Programme for International Student Assessment
(PISA), an evaluation by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) of the skills and knowledge of half a million 15-year-olds across 65 countries and economies. Only nine countries and economies performed better
than Canada in mathematics, only four in reading, and only seven in science. It is surprising to learn, then, that Canada’s education system has no overarching federal department and dif fers across the regions. According to the Council of Ministers of Education,
Canada (CMEC), in the 13 jurisdictions (ten provinces and three territories), the local departments or ministries of education are directly responsible for the organisation, delivery, and assessment of education at elementary and secondary level. “For families relocating to Canada, one of the first things
to remember is that there is no national curriculum to which all provinces and districts must adhere,” says Elizabeth Sawyer, CEO of Bennett Schoolplacement Worldwide. “Education varies from province to province and from district to district.”
Language issues There are, of course, many similarities in the education systems across Canada, but the signif icant dif ferences in curriculum and assessment will need to be examined carefully by parents looking for a place in the country’s state-funded education system, to ensure that the school they choose meets the immediate needs of their child. Language issues could be one of the most immediate
barriers to learning in the first instance. “For example”, says Elizabeth Sawyer, “witness the fact
that, in Montreal, the language of instruction is typically French (with some limited exceptions), whereas English tends to dominate in most other parts of the country.
42 | Re:locate | Canada Spring 2016
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