$Unique_ID{COW00725} $Pretitle{408} $Title{Canada Chapter 3A. The Society} $Subtitle{} $Author{Ivan P. Fellegi} $Affiliation{Statistics Canada} $Subject{education per cent schools programs colleges institutions school community provincial} $Date{1990} $Log{} Country: Canada Book: Canada Handbook Author: Ivan P. Fellegi Affiliation: Statistics Canada Date: 1990 Chapter 3A. The Society Education Education in Canada is one of the country's largest activities. Spending on education represents about 7 per cent of Canada's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 8 per cent of personal income, $1,340 per capita of population, and $2,700 per capita of labour force. Most education revenue comes from government sources with provincial and municipal governments providing the major share. Education is second only to social welfare as a consumer of government budgets. Recent Trends Until the end of the 1960s, education in Canada was one of continuous, sometimes dramatic, growth. As the population grew and the economy was buoyant, educational facilities were built; new elementary and secondary schools to accommodate an increasing student population and networks of community colleges to provide an alternative to university studies. Universities were experiencing unprecedented growth, constructing new and expanding old facilities and introducing new programs of study to meet growing student demand. In the early 1970s, the first signs of an end to the period of growth appeared when elementary enrolment started to drop as a result of a declining birth rate. This started a ripple effect which was to be felt at all levels of education. By the mid-70s secondary enrolment was decreasing and the rate of increase in postsecondary education was moderating. Demographic trends combined with an economic slowdown have meant that the 1980s have been a period of restraint for education in Canada. Historical Perspectives When the four original provinces of Canada were united in 1867, responsibility for education was vested in provincial legislatures rather than the federal government. Constitutional jurisdiction over education was given to other territories as they achieved provincial status. While the constitution recognizes no federal presence in education, the federal government has assumed direct responsibility for the education of those outside provincial jurisdiction - native peoples, armed forces personnel and their dependents in Canada and abroad, and inmates of federal penal institutions. More significantly, as education has expanded, indirect federal participation in the form of financial transfers to provincial governments has expanded for the support of postsecondary education, direct financing of manpower training programs, and support for bilingualism in education. Provincial Administration Because each province and territory is responsible for the organization and administration of education within its jurisdiction, no uniform system exists. Provincial autonomy has resulted in distinctive education systems reflecting historical and cultural traditions and socio-economic conditions. Local Administration While provincial legislatures and education departments provide the legal framework, most of the actual operation of public schools is delegated to local boards of education composed of elected and/or appointed trustees whose duties are specified in provincial legislation and departmental regulations. Responsibilities of boards vary but they generally include school construction, pupil transportation, hiring of teachers and determination of tax rates for local support. Elementary-Secondary Education Elementary education is general and basic, but in the junior high school years there is usually some opportunity for students to select courses to suit their individual needs. At the secondary level students have a choice of several programs and, within provincial requirements, they may build a secondary program by selecting from a number of subject-matter areas. At one time secondary schools were predominantly academic, designed to prepare students for university; vocational schools were separate institutions, primarily for those who would not proceed to postsecondary education. Today, while some technical and commercial high schools still exist, most secondary schools are composite, providing integrated programs for all types of students. Independent Schools In all provinces some elementary-secondary schools operate outside the public school system. These private or independent schools have been established as alternatives to the public system - alternatives based on religion, language, or social or academic status. Provincial policies on private schools vary considerably - from the provision of direct grants per pupil to minimum provincial involvement in financing and inspection. Private kindergartens and nursery schools also exist for children of pre-elementary age. Separate Schools Five provinces make some legal provision for schools with religious affiliation within the publicly supported system. Newfoundland's public school organization has traditionally been based on church affiliation. Roman Catholic schools serve the largest single religious group in the province and are organized into school districts. In the mid-1960s the major Protestant denominations (Anglican, United Church and Salvation Army) amalgamated their schools and boards. Two other denominations (Pentecostal and Seventh Day Adventist) also operate schools. Quebec has a dual education system - one for Roman Catholic students, the other for non-Catholics. During the 1970s the distinction on the basis of religion gave way, to some extent, to a distinction based on language of instruction. Both school systems receive public support. Legislation in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta permits establishment of separate schools. In all three provinces, Roman Catholic separate school districts operate a large number of schools, while a few Protestant separate school districts also exist. Postsecondary Education The 1960s and 1970s were marked by extraordinary growth in programs and facilities for education beyond high school. In prior years, universities offered almost the only form of postsecondary education. Now, every province has networks of public community colleges and institutions of technology. Degree-Granting Institutions There are several types of degree-granting institutions in Canada: institutions that have, as a minimum, degree programs in arts and science; large institutions that offer degrees up to the doctorate level in a variety of fields and disciplines; smaller institutions with undergraduate degree programs only in arts; independent institutions granting degrees in religion and theology only; and institutions offering degree programs in a single field such as engineering, art or education. The Department of National Defence finances and operates three tuition-free institutions that provide university-level instruction; Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont., Royal Roads in Victoria, BC, and College militaire royal in Saint-Jean, Que., which is affiliated with the Universite de Sherbrooke. Admission to university usually requires high school graduation with specific courses and standing. Most universities, however, provide for the admission of "mature students" who do not have all the usual prerequisites. Depending on the province, a pass bachelor's degree in arts or science takes three or four years of study. Most universities offer both pass and honours bachelor's degrees; an extra year of study is usually necessary for the latter. Admission to some professional faculties such as law, medicine, dentistry and engineering normally requires completion of part or all of the requirements for a bachelor's degree. Admission to a master's degree program is usually contingent upon completion of an honours bachelor's degree or equivalent. Most master's programs entail an additional year or two of study plus a thesis. Entrants to doctoral programs must have a master's degree or equivalent in the same field. University tuition fees vary among and within provinces. Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario and Alberta have differential fees for foreign students. Community Colleges As an alternative to university education, all provinces have established public community colleges - regional colleges in British Columbia, institutes of technology and other public colleges in Alberta, institutes of applied arts and science in Saskatchewan, colleges of applied arts and technology (CAATs) and colleges of agricultural technology (CATs) in Ontario, and colleges d'enseignement general et professionnel (CEGEPs) in Quebec. Other institutions also exist for training in specialized fields such as fisheries, marine technologies and para-medical technologies. Most provinces now provide nurses' training programs in community colleges rather than in hospital schools of nursing which were common in the past. Admission to public community colleges usually requires secondary school graduation but "mature students" status allows otherwise ineligible applicants to enrol. Upgrading programs are also available in some institutions to applicants whose high school standing does not meet regular admission standards. Technical and Trades Training Technical and trades training varies from province to province and often within a province. In addition to the vocational and technical programs provided in secondary schools, students may continue this type of education in public and private trade and business schools, trade divisions of community colleges and related institutions. Trades training is also available through training-in-industry and apprenticeship programs. Adult Education For the past decade, educational programs for out-of-school adults have been the most rapidly growing sector of Canadian education. Departments of education, school boards, community colleges and universities offer extensive part-time programs for adults to acquire accreditation at various education levels or advance their personal interests. Programs are also provided by professional associations, unions, community organizations, churches, public libraries, government departments, business and industry. Correspondence courses are also available. Statistical Highlights In 1985-86 education was the primary activity of 6,044,000 Canadians, or about 24 per cent of the total population. There were 5,718,000 full-time students being taught by 326,000 full-time teachers in 15,900 educational institutions. Expenditures or education for 1985-86 reached $33.9 billion, or 7.1 per cent of Canada's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Lower birth rates in recent years and lower levels of immigration have produced an enrolment decline in elementary-secondary schools that has persisted since the early 1970s. At the postsecondary level, however, increased participation rates have more than offset the decline in size of the primary source population group. Elementary-secondary enrolment in 1985-86 was 4,927,800, a decline of 0.4 per cent from 1984-85 and of 16 per cent from the all-time high of 5,888,000 recorded in 1970-71. Elementary enrolment dropped 22 per cent from the 1968 high of 3,844,000 to 2,989,000 in 1985-86. Secondary enrolment patterns resemble those of the elementary level, but they are delayed seven or eight years. Recent increases in participation of the post compulsory school-age group have moderated declines and could indicate small increases before the end of the 1980s. Full-time post secondary enrolment in 1985-86 was 789,900, a 0.9 per cent increase from 1984-85. University enrolment made up 59 per cent of the total, but the rate of increase over the past decade was lower than that of the community college sector, where full-time enrolment increased by 94 per cent, from 166,100 in 1970-71 to 322,600 in 1985-86. Meanwhile, full-time university enrolment went from 309,500 to 467,300, an increase of 51 per cent. In 1985, 278,400 students graduated from secondary schools, a 4.0 per cent decrease from the previous year. About 50 per cent of high school graduates normally enter a postsecondary institution. Universities conferred 97,600 bachelor's and first professional degrees, 15,200 master's degrees and 2,000 earned doctorates in 1985. Community colleges awarded 84,500 diplomas. Expenditures for education from kindergarten through graduate studies reached $33.9 billion in 1985-86. Elementary-secondary education consumed about $22 billion of the 1985-86 total, universities $7 billion, community colleges $2.6 billion and vocational training $2.4 billion. Education spending per capita of population soared from $315 in 1969 to $1,340 in 1985; the increase per capita of labour force was from $808 to $2,700. Nevertheless, other indicators point to a relative decline in education spending. In 1970, when full-time enrolment reached record levels, expenditures on education were equivalent to 8.6 per cent of GDP. By 1980 education's share had decreased to 7.2 per cent of GDP. Recently, education expenditures, as a proportion of GDP, have been in the 7.5 to 7.6 per cent range. 1986 Census Statistics. One of the most significant changes for 1986, according to Census figures, was in the number of Canadians holding university degrees. This group represented 9.6 per cent of all Canadians aged 15 or over, a percentage twice as high as that recorded in 1971. The number of university graduates grew by 26 per cent from 1981 to 1986. Over the same period, the number of Canadians with master's degrees rose by 32 per cent, and those with earned doctorates by 20 per cent. Among persons 15 years of age or older, 43 per cent had achieved levels of schooling between grades nine and 13 by 1986. About one-sixth of this group was aged 15-to-19, and, generally. still in school. The same is true of the 30 per cent who had received some postsecondary education. This percentage includes up to 800,000 full-time students enrolled at Canadian colleges and universities in 1985-86. In 1986, 18 per cent of the population aged 15 years or over had achieved less than a Grade 9 level of shooling. This was down from 32 per cent in 1971. Three-quarters of Canadians with less than Grade 9 were 45 years of age or older, though this age group represented only 37 per cent of the total population 15 and over. Among recent university graduates, women outnumbered men, accounting for 55 per cent of all graduates under the age of 25. In contrast, in the 45-to-64 age group, male university graduates outnumbered females, representing 67 per cent of all graduates. Variations in education across the country. A measure of the successful completion of formal education is the highest degree or certificate obtained. This measure shows significant regional variations. Alberta (13 per cent) and Ontario (12 per cent) had the highest proportion of their populations holding university degrees or certificates, while Newfoundland (7 per cent) and New Brunswick (9 per cent) had the lowest. If all postsecondary degrees, diplomas and certificates are considered, including trades and other non-university certificates, the Yukon (39 per cent) had the highest proportion of postsecondary graduates, followed by Alberta (35 per cent). The lowest proportions were in Newfoundland (26 per cent) and New Brunswick (27 per cent). British Columbia (54 per cent) and the Yukon (57 per cent) had the largest proportion of population holding secondary or postsecondary degrees, diplomas or certificates, while Newfoundland (39 per cent) and the Northwest Territories (40 per cent) had the smallest.