The Canadian school system includes both public and private schools, from kindergarten to university. The responsibility for the education system lies with the provinces, which means that there are differences in the education system between provinces. Canadian education standards are very high, even when compared with other industrialized countries, as the recent Pisa study demonstrated once again.

Compulsory school attendance starts at age 5. At that point children go to kindergarten, which takes place on the same premises as elementary school. Most kindergarten programs last 2,5 hours every day, while from Grade 1 on classes are in session from 9am to 3pm. The school year begins in September and ends in June, with holidays in July and August.

Canada does not have free school choice, as every school has its own catchment area. Every child is entitled to a place in the school of his or her catchment area, although a cross-boundary application can be submitted. However, success depends on the occupancy and other factors and is at the discretion of the “target school”.

Exempt from this are private and confessional schools, which can be attended regardless of where the children reside. However, private schools often charge very high tuition fees and are therefore not suited for everyone. Standard fees for private schools here in Greater Vancouver range from $1000 to $1500 per month. Confessional schools are often a bit cheaper but also charge a tuition fee, and you must be a member of the respective church.

Every province also offers Early and Late French Immersion Programs. As a result, many schools also have a French branch, which follows exactly the same curriculum as its English equivalent, just in French. Early French Immersion begins at kindergarten level, while Late French Immersion starts in grade 6. Given the run on these programs, their limited number of places is often assigned through a lottery process. The websites of the corresponding school districts usually include city maps where each school’s catchment area is marked.

Since Canadian students spend a large part of their day in school, they can choose among many optional subjects in addition to the mandatory curriculum. Drama, computer science, art, handicraft, learning an instrument and outdoor education are very popular among students. Like everywhere in North America, sports plays an important part. Every school has its own sports teams, who wear the colours of their school. Volleyball, basketball, baseball, lacrosse and especially football are popular team sports. The school band performs several times a year and gets the crowd going at every sports event.

Canadian students develop close ties with their schools as many activities take place as part of school events. They are proud of their school and often attend the high school teams’ home and away games. On Saturdays parents, teachers and students jointly attend the competitions. The school band and the cheerleaders support their sports team with catchy tunes and acrobatic displays, respectively. Canadians are not easily deterred by bad weather. In autumn, fans often cheer on their football team in freezing temperatures, wrapped in thick blankets and sipping hot coffee.

Most schools are well equipped with computers. Our school district here in Richmond is fully equipped with state-of-the-art Mac computers.

There are several key differences between the Canadian and the German school system. For one, all schools are full-time. But the Canadian school system is also more “permeable” than its German counterpart, as students don’t have to decide between secondary school and academic high school after grade 4.

After finishing grade 12 and taking their exams, which are determined by each province, they receive their high-school diplomas. To be admitted to university, they must have attended higher-level classes in English/French and science. Like in many other countries, students in Canada must get very good grades to study subjects like law, medicine and engineering.

Higher education at college or university is not free, and tuition fees may vary depending on the province and university. However, there are government programs (e.g. Registered Education Savings Plan, RESP) that enable families to start saving early for their children’s education.