Development+of+Education+Reports+for+Canada



The Development of Education Reports for Canada Report One: The Education Systems in Canada — Facing the Challenges of the Twenty­First Century Report Two: Inclusive Education in Canada: The Way of the Future October 2008 Prepared by The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada in collaboration with The Canadian Commission for UNESCO 1 1 The forty-eighth session of the International Conference on Education (ICE) is scheduled to take place in Geneva on November 25-28, 2008 with the theme of //Inclusive education: The way of// //the future//. In advance of this meeting, Canada, along with the other Member States of UNESCO, has the opportunity to submit two separate but linked reports. The International Bureau of Education, the organizers of the ICE, has distributed guidelines for the preparation of the reports. The first report, //The Education Systems in Canada – Facing the Challenges of the// //Twenty-First Century//, concentrates on major reforms and innovations in the education systems, as well as the main policies and achievements in access to education, early intervention, learning outcomes, teacher training, and the role of education in combating social exclusion and poverty. The second report, //Inclusive Education: The Way of the Future//, relates directly to theme of the conference – inclusive education, which is defined as an approach that looks into how to transform education systems and other learning environments in order to respond to the diversity of learners.
 * Executive Summary**

education and no integrated national system of education. The 10 provinces and three territories have departments or ministries of education that are responsible for the organization, delivery, and assessment of education at the elementary and secondary levels and for postsecondary education. The federal government of Canada provides financial support for postsecondary education and the teaching of French and English, the two official languages. In addition, the federal government is responsible for the education of Registered Indian people on reserve, personnel in the armed forces and the coast guard, and inmates in federal correctional facilities. and territorial systems of education, significant differences exist that reflect the specialized needs of each jurisdiction. Public elementary and secondary education is provided free of charge to all Canadians who meet jurisdictional age and residence requirements. Local governance of education is entrusted to school boards, districts, divisions, or district education councils. All jurisdictions have some form of pre-elementary education for five-year olds, followed by six to eight years of elementary school and four to six years of compulsory secondary school. Postsecondary education is offered through public and private institutions – universities that focus primarily on degree programs, colleges, cégeps, community colleges, and technical and vocational institutes that focus on certificate and diploma programs, with some also having the capacity to award applied and undergraduate degrees. Postsecondary education is also provided through the apprenticeship system. education come together in the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to discuss matters of mutual interest and undertake collaborative initiatives. In April 2008, the ministers released a new vision for learning in Canada, //Learn Canada 2020//, to address the educational needs and 2 aspiration of Canadians. Goals are listed under the four pillars of lifelong learning – early childhood learning and development, elementary to secondary school systems, postsecondary education, and adult learning and skills development – along with eight specific activity areas and accompanying objectives: • literacy • Aboriginal education • postsecondary capacity • education for sustainable development • international and national representation • official languages • learning assessment programs and performance indicators • education data and research strategy
 * Report One – The Education Systems in Canada – Facing the Challenges of**
 * the Twenty-First Century**
 * The Education Systems – Legal Framework**: In Canada, there is no federal department of
 * The Education Systems – Structure**: While there are a great many similarities in the provincial
 * The Education Systems – Reforms**: The provincial and territorial ministers responsible for

developments in educational policy, the UNESCO guidelines for the preparation of this report focused on four key areas: • access to education – focusing on actions being taken to reach groups that are currently excluded • early intervention – as a means to support children’s development and learning • learning outcomes – particularly the efforts to improve learning achievements and reduce inequalities • teacher training, recruitment, and working conditions public school education free of charge to all between the ages of 5 and 18 (the ages vary by jurisdiction but the principle is consistent) and registration figures that are well above 90 per cent until age 16. The governments recognize that access also includes access to success and achievement and many programs and policies have been put in place so that all groups are assured of equal opportunity. The report focuses on the funding allocations that support school boards and schools in providing services for those who are in danger of exclusion from mainstream education. As attendance at postsecondary educational institutions shows a larger representation of those from higher income families, the report provides detail on the multiple programs that the jurisdictions have put in place to provide financial assistance to all eligible students. children to learn. Many jurisdictions have established detailed frameworks and strategies that address early childhood education as a family and social issue, offering parental support and collaborative programs that include health and social services. Information is provided on specific programs for children at risk, on community programs, tools offered to parents to encourage their children’s learning, and programs for Aboriginal children. Improvement of **learning outcomes** is a key educational priority in every jurisdiction as standardized achievement tests, improvement initiatives, and curriculum policy are all enacted to 3 improve student achievement. Student results on international and pan-Canadian tests indicate the strengths and challenges in the educational systems. The jurisdictions have implemented a variety of long-term plans, often based in extensive research and consultation, to address student achievement for all students and especially for those most in need of special supports. The strategies to improve learning outcomes are system wide, encompassing curriculum changes, teacher professional development, new measurement and testing standards, student support and resources, school leadership, accountability and autonomy measures, detailed data collection and analysis, comprehensive reporting to students, parents and the community, and enhanced programs for populations most at risk of failure. The improvement of learning outcomes is not focused on testing alone, but is the basis of educational reform that touches all aspects of schooling. The pre-service **training of teachers** is available in every province and territory and is largely undertaken by the universities. Professional development for practicing teachers is shared among the departments or ministries of education, school boards, universities, teachers’ associations and unions, and nongovernmental organizations with particular expertise. A 2001 study by Statistics Canada indicated that by 2006, there would be a surplus of teachers in Canada, although challenges in recruitment for certain subject specialties and for rural schools would continue. In studies of their working conditions, teachers have reported that the greatest challenge they face is the diverse classroom, with many students requiring special services and programming. Provincial and territorial governments have implemented funding and program initiatives to address teachers’ challenges, including the reduction of class sizes. first report highlights the role of the education systems in combating poverty and social exclusion. Some of the provinces have anti-poverty strategies in place that recognize the crucial role that education plays in addressing social inequities and providing enhanced opportunities.
 * Policies, Achievements, and Lessons Learned**: In outlining expectations for reflections on the
 * Access to education** is protected by legislation in every province and territory in Canada, with
 * Early intervention** examines the results of research that verify its importance in preparing
 * The Role of Education in Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion**: The final section of the

education as an approach that looks into how to transform education systems and other learning environments in order to respond to the diversity of learners. Inclusive education is therefore quality education that aims at the full participation of all learners. The debates of the forty- eighth session of the International Conference on Education (ICE) are organized around four sub-themes described below. Experiences, innovations, and best practices are to be used to illustrate how the Member States approach these key aspects of inclusive education. of inclusive education at the legislative level to the much more focused look at specific programs and classroom approaches. In this first section, the spotlight is on the vision of inclusive education, the legal frameworks that support this vision at the federal and provincial/territorial levels, and the challenges faced in ensuring educational and social inclusion. A brief demographic profile of Canada provides a necessary context for the consideration of inclusive education in a pluralistic society.
 * Report Two – Inclusive Education: The Way of the Future**
 * Context of the Report**: The guidelines for the preparation of this report define inclusive
 * Approaches, Scope and Content**: The themes for the ICE move from the broadest examination

discussion of inclusive education highlights the dimensions of exclusion, with questions of the indicators and the data used to inform policy development and decision making. In the Canadian context, the groups considered most vulnerable to exclusion are Aboriginal students, students with physical, emotional, mental and learning challenges, newly arrived immigrant students, visible minority students, and students from lower socio-economic groups. The educational reforms that have been put in place in the jurisdictions are described – the broad scope, long- term programs that encompass multiple levels of education and numerous aspects of the systems. The majority of these reforms involve public consultation and/or the direct involvement of the communities affected and their results influence curriculum, delivery methods, management and educational leadership, issues of language and culture, assessment and accountability, and policy.
 * Public Policy**: The second of the major themes outlined for this report and for the conference

programs that are designed to address the needs of one or more of the groups that receive special attention to encourage their educational inclusion and success. A lengthy list of facilitators of inclusive education is followed by descriptions of programs, services and supports for Aboriginal, special needs students, and other vulnerable groups. classrooms, detailing the resources and programs provided for teachers and learners. These include new approaches to teaching and learning provided by the ministries of education or innovative projects devised by teachers; curriculum designed to respond to the needs of at- risk groups; resources and supports offered to teachers in their classrooms; and school and learning environments that foster learning for all. Most of the projects highlighted in this section focus on one particular segment of the at-risk population.
 * Systems, Links, and Transitions**: The third section focuses more closely on specific
 * Learners and Teachers**: The final component of the report focuses on the schools and the