Do you know about Canadian education and how it works? Would you like your children to go to a Canadian school? The education system of Canada is quite good, moreover, it is becoming even better. Recently, the Government of Canada also announced a $17.6M investment in the Digital Literacy Exchange Program.
Must read: How to Immigrate to Canada with Family
Education System of Canada
For the new immigrants to Canada, they might be wondering if the education system of the nation is good enough for their children or not. We would like to clear their doubts on the matter. Let’s get started then!
In Canada, education is available through both systems: private as well as public. The government of the nation is the one that financially supports the public education of students from kindergarten to post-secondary level. In addition, around 6% of the GDP of Canada is spent on education on an average.
Depending on the province, children are to attend school until they reach a certain age. Some provinces may exempt you from attending kindergarten. Nevertheless, children in every province are to attend school if they are between the ages of 7 and 16. Furthermore, in New Brunswick, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and Ontario, this compulsory education is till the age of 18.
Levels of Education in Canada
The education system of Canada is split into three levels, no matter if it is private or public.
- Primary: from kindergarten to Grade 8
- Secondary: from Grade 9 to Grade 12
- Post-secondary: college and universities
Education in Official Languages
Foreign students in Canada can either study in French or English, whichever suits them best. While there are some educational institutions which offer courses in both languages, still students have no requirement to be fluent in both these languages to attend any Canadian school.
Even if education in French is spread throughout the country, English is still the main language of education in Canada. Nonetheless, children are taught a second language from an early age.
However, if we are talking about Quebec, the language instruction works differently. The students must attend school in French until they complete high school. That’s the requirement. Still, there are some reasons that may exempt a child from studying only in French if:
- The student has majorly studied in English in Canada
- Their mother/father studied elementary education in English in Canada
- Their parent(s) is a Canadian citizen
- If their parent are in Quebec as a temporary worker
- If any of their parents attended school in the province of Quebec after 26th August, 1977, and declared eligible for English education at that time.
Is Canadian Education Better than Other Nations?
Canada offers one of the world’s best educations along with being one of the best educated countries globally. Programme for International Student Assessment measures the reading ability of students of age 15 along with their mathematics skills, and science knowledge. According to their assessment, students of Canada score higher in each subject. This means, if your children are studying in Canada, just know that they are in good hands. Moreover, you can immigrate to Canada with a free mind and get your children enrolled in Canadian educational institutions.
