British Columbia Newcomers' Guide to Resources and Services
Education
In this chapter:
Elementary and secondary
schools
All children in B.C. between the ages of 5 and 16 must go to school.
Public school is free. Some children go to private schools instead
of public schools. Others study at home with lessons sent by mail.
Children begin school when they are about 5 years old. For children
under 5 years old, there are preschools. Call your local Health
Unit, or Information Daycare, or look in the Yellow Pages under
"Pre-School Centres" for a list.
The first year of school is called kindergarten, and children attend
only half-days. In elementary schools (Grades 1 to 6 or 7), many
students are in multi-grade classes. For example, one class may
have students from Grade 1 to Grade 3.
Most students finish high school by age 18, but some stay longer.
Registering a child for public school
To register a child for public school, phone your local School
Board office (look in the White Pages under "Schools")
or ask at the school nearest your home.
Learning English
Young children usually attend the public school nearest their home.
Many older children go to a school that has a program to help them
learn English. Many students first attend an English as a Second
Language (ESL) class, full-time or part-time. Other students receive
extra help with English in a regular class.
Getting involved
Schools encourage communication between teachers and parents. It
is important for parents to attend parent-teacher interviews during
the year. There are also opportunities to attend meetings and volunteer
in the school.
Keeping your language
Many parents want their children to continue to learn their native
language. In some places you may be able to find a preschool in
your language. Also, there may be classes for elementary students
after school or on Saturday. Many high schools offer a choice of
language classes. For information, call the B.C. Heritage Language
Association at 604 298-4526. Website: http://www.bchla.org
 Special
needs
Some children need extra help. They may be blind or deaf or have
another physical disability. Other children may need help because
they learn slowly. Some children with special needs can attend regular
classes. Others need special programs. Contact your local school
board for information.
French
There are three different French programs in B.C. public schools.
The Programme Cadre de Français is for students who speak French
as their first language. The second is called the "French Immersion
Program." It is for students who do not speak French. Students
in this program spend the whole day or most of the day learning
French. The third program is called "Core French." Students
learn basic French as one of their regular subjects. For information,
talk to your local school board.
Private schools
Some private schools are religious, such as Catholic schools or
Muslim schools. Others may have different teaching methods or smaller
class sizes. Most private schools charge fees. For a list of these
schools, phone the Office of the Inspector of Independent Schools
in Victoria at 250 356-2508. Website:
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/independentschools/. You can also
look in the Yellow Pages of the phone book under "Schools"
and find "Schools – Academic – Elementary and Secondary."
 Distance
education
Some children in B.C. don't go to regular schools. These children
may live far from school, they may be very sick, or their parents
may decide not to send them to school.
The Open Learning Agency and the provincial Ministry of Education,
have a special program called "Open School" for children
in kindergarten to Grade 12 who don't go to a regular school. These
children can do their lessons by correspondence at home and mail
them to a teacher to check.
For more information, call the Open Learning Agency or the Distance
Education School in your area. The Open Learning Agency's telephone
number is 604 431-3000 in the Lower Mainland, or call 1-800-663-1663
from elsewhere in B.C. The Greater Vancouver Distance Education
School is listed in the White Pages of the telephone book under
"School Board Vancouver – Community Education Services
– Greater Vancouver Distance Education." The number is
604 713-5520. Website: http://www.gvdes.com/
Open Learning Agency
The Open Learning Agency (OLA) provides courses by mail, TV, and
telephone tutoring for people who cannot attend classes. There are
high school, job training, English, and academic courses. Website:
http://www.ola.bc.ca/
International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES)
The International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES) is a service
of the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). ICES will
assess foreign secondary and postsecondary credentials for employment,
access to regulatory bodies, and futher education. To contact ICES,
call 604 432-8800 in the Lower Mainland. Toll Free within North
America call 1-866-434-9197. Email: icesinfo@bcit.ca
Website: http://www.bcit.ca/ices/
Post-secondary educational institutions
There are public (government-funded) and private (not government-funded)
universities, colleges, and institutes in British Columbia.
For a list of public colleges and institutes, look at the end of
this chapter, or look in the Yellow Pages of the phone book under
"Schools – Academic – Colleges and Universities."
The Yellow Pages listing contains both public and private schools.
Costs and financial help
Public elementary and secondary schools are free. But public colleges,
institutes, universities, and ESL for adults at school district
continuing education centres charge fees.
Many students work part-time or work in the summers to earn money.
The B.C. government gives loans to many students who need financial
help. The government also pays the fees, and sometimes the living
expenses, for low-income students in some programs. For information,
talk to the Financial Aid office at the college, institute, or university
you plan to attend.
Public universities, colleges and institutes
There are five public universities, 16 public colleges, and three
public institutes in British Columbia.
Universities give degrees in many fields, such as the arts, science,
medicine, or law. Universities do research and offer post-graduate
degrees such as a Master's or a doctorate (Ph.D).
Public colleges offer first and second year university courses.
Some colleges (university colleges) give full university degrees.
Colleges and technical institutes also have many job training programs,
such as accounting, nursing, or auto mechanics.
Private colleges and schools
British Columbia has many private colleges, business schools, and
technical schools. The fees are sometimes higher than at public
colleges.
To find private schools and colleges, look in the Yellow Pages
of the phone book under "Schools." You can also contact
the Private Post- Secondary Education Commission (PPSEC) to find
out which schools are registered and/or accredited with the provincial
government. Schools which are accredited have passed tests for standards
of integrity and educational competence. You can contact PPSEC in
the Lower Mainland at 604 660-4400, or at 1-800-661-7441 elsewhere.
Website: http://www.ppsec.bc.ca/
English classes for adults
There are many English as a Second Language (ESL) classes available
for adults to learn to speak, read, and write English.
Most immigrants are eligible for free government-sponsored ESL
classes under the British Columbia Settlement and Adaptation Program
(BCSAP). These free classes are called English Language Services
for Adults (ELSA). Other people can attend a full-time or part-time
class at a college or public school. They charge fees, but the provincial
government may help pay the fees for many low-income people. Immigrant
settlement agencies, community groups, and churches provide free
or low-cost classes in some areas. There is often a waiting list
for all of the above classes.
Many private English schools and private tutors also teach English.
They may be more expensive than classes in public schools and colleges.
Look in the Yellow Pages of the telephone book under "Language
Schools" for a listing of ESL schools.
For information on ESL classes, call a Language Assessment Centre,
local college or school board, or an immigrant settlement agency.
Language Assessment Centres are for the free ESL classes offered
under the BCSAP. In the Lower Mainland, there are two Language Assessment
Centres:
- For people living in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, New Westminster,
North Vancouver and West Vancouver, call Western ESL Services
at 604 876-5756.
- For people living in Surrey, the Tri-Cities area and the Fraser
Valley, call the Surrey Language and Assessment Centre at 604 507-4150.
Outside of the Lower Mainland, contact an immigrant
settlement agency in your area.
Continuing education for adults
Many adults in British Columbia continue to study long after they
leave school. Adults take courses to improve their reading or math
skills, to finish high school, to learn new job skills, or for enjoyment.
Many working people study part-time. There are classes in colleges
and universities, in high schools in the evenings, and through the
Open Learning Agency.
Many adults also attend full-time classes during the day. These
classes are organized by School District Adult Learning Centres.
Contact your local school district office for information.
For more information, see listing of educational
institutes
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