THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN CANADA

THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN CANADA

REPORT OF CANADA

In response to the International Survey in Preparation for the Forty-sixth Session of the International Conference on Education Geneva September 5-8, 2001

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF EDUCATION, CANADA

CANADIAN COMMISSION FOR UNESCO

THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN CANADA

Report of Canada

by The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada

September 5-8, 2001

Acknowledgments The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) would like to acknowledge the work of Andr? Lalonde, who undertook the documentary research and writing of this report. CMEC gratefully acknowledges the generous comments and feedback from the provincial and territorial ministries/departments of education, and the non-governmental organizations for their contribution to the writing of this report. CMEC also acknowledges the financial contribution of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, International Academic Relations Division, and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.

Council of Ministers of Education, Canada 95 St. Clair Avenue West, Suite 1106 Toronto, Ontario M4V 1N6 Telephone: (416) 962-8100 Fax: (416) 962-2800 E-mail : cmec@cmec.ca Web site : cmec.ca

? 2001 Council of Ministers of Education, Canada

ISBN 0-88987-132-9

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................1 FOREWORD ................................................................................................................................................5

1.0 ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CONTEXT OF EDUCATION.............................10 1.1 Standard of living.......................................................................................................................10 1.2 Economic development..............................................................................................................10 1.3 Official languages ......................................................................................................................10 1.4 Diversity.....................................................................................................................................11 1.5 Demographic trends ...................................................................................................................11 1.6 Children living in low-income families .....................................................................................12

2.0 EDUCATIONAL POLICIES ....................................................................................................12 2.1 Fundamental values ...................................................................................................................12 2.2 Legal and constitutional foundations .........................................................................................13

3.0 STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN CANADA.........................................13 3.1 Preschool programs....................................................................................................................13 3.2 Elementary and secondary education.........................................................................................14 3.3 Postsecondary education............................................................................................................14 3.4 Council of Ministers of Education, Canada ...............................................................................15

4.0 MAIN FEATURES AND OBJECTIVES OF REFORMS........................................................16 4.1 Reorganization and restructuring ...............................................................................................16 4.1.1 Changes in structures ........................................................................................................16 4.1.2 Reorganization of government departments......................................................................17 4.1.3 Reducing the number of school boards .............................................................................17 4.1.4 Accountability structures...................................................................................................18 4.2 Funding reform ..........................................................................................................................18 4.3 Curriculum renewal ...................................................................................................................19 4.4 Early childhood development ....................................................................................................20 4.5 Performance testing ...................................................................................................................21 4.6 Transition to the job market.......................................................................................................22 4.7 Quality of teaching.....................................................................................................................23

5.0 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND ENROLMENT .......................................................25 5.1 Institutions .................................................................................................................................25 5.2 Enrolment...................................................................................................................................26 5.2.1 Elementary and secondary ................................................................................................26 5.2.2 College enrolment .............................................................................................................26 5.2.3 University enrolment.........................................................................................................28 5.2.4 Adult participation in education ........................................................................................29 5.2.5 Employment-related Adult Education...............................................................................29

6.0 EDUCATION FUNDING .........................................................................................................30 6.1 Spending by type of education...................................................................................................31 6.2 Public spending on education ....................................................................................................32 6.3 Education-related spending by resource category .....................................................................33 6.4 Student Indebtedness .................................................................................................................34

7.0 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN SCHOOLS ..................35 7.1 Student-computer ratio...............................................................................................................36 7.2 Internet connection.....................................................................................................................36 7.3 Student activities on the Internet................................................................................................36 7.4 Obstacles to fuller use of information and communication technologies ..................................37 7.5 Provincial initiatives ..................................................................................................................38

8.0 EDUCATORS ...........................................................................................................................39

8.1 Distribution by gender ...............................................................................................................40 8.2 Supply and demand....................................................................................................................41 9.0 THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS............................................................................................49 9.1 Curriculum components at elementary and secondary level......................................................49 9.2 Teaching and learning process...................................................................................................51 9.3 Organization of teaching time and academic year .....................................................................52 9.4 Special education .......................................................................................................................52 10.0 TESTING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT..................................................................................54 11.0 EQUITY.....................................................................................................................................55 11.1 Aboriginal educational levels ....................................................................................................55 11.2 Educational levels of language groups.......................................................................................56 12.0 HIGHER EDUCATION ............................................................................................................57 13.0 PRIVATE EDUCATION ..........................................................................................................60 14.0 EDUCATION RESEARCH ......................................................................................................62 15.0 INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................65 16.0 FUTURE CHALLENGES.........................................................................................................66 17.0 REFERENCES ..........................................................................................................................70

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