2003/04 – 2005/06 SERVICE PLAN Ministry of Education

Planning Context

Examination of the external and internal environments helps to identify those factors that are likely to affect the conduct and success of education in British Columbia. A summary of observations is presented here.

The social and economic environment influences the system’s operation and effectiveness. Factors such as the number and location of students, provincial funding levels, workplace requirements, special needs of children and the level of support that the public is willing to provide to K-12 education all affect the operation and performance of the education system.

Summary of Observations:

• Provincewide, student enrolment will decline over the next five years due to a declining birth rate and an aging population. Rural regions are already experiencing declining enrolments.
• The Aboriginal population in British Columbia is young and growing at a faster rate than the non-Aboriginal population.
• The number of children identified in special needs categories that qualify for supplemental funding in British Columbia is growing, notably children requiring intensive and expensive interventions.
• There is evidence of the beginnings of a teacher supply problem in some subject areas like languages, maths and some sciences. This may be more prevalent in rural areas.
• Working parents are requesting that schools provide or link to additional services such as preschool and full-day kindergarten. In addition, research studies indicating the importance of early development in a child’s school success are becoming widely known. Such factors are creating pressure to provide preschool programs.
• Immigration, primarily from Asian countries, has created a need for English as a Second Language (ESL) services in several districts.
• British Columbia’s students perform well compared to other Canadian and international jurisdictions.
• Schools do not perform well in serving some groups — Aboriginal students are the most visible example, but males and children from economically disadvantaged families also fare relatively poorly in schools across the province.
• Admission of British Columbian students to colleges and technical schools has increased significantly in the last decade.
• An aging workforce will lead to a growing need for qualified young people to meet employers’ demands.
• The high-tech sector is expanding, and there will be a long-term requirement for employees with specific technical and computer skills. Across many occupations, technological advances necessitate higher levels of employee knowledge and skills, even in entry-level positions.
• The service industry continues to be the main employer in British Columbia. Many students are entering this sector directly from Grade 12.