Core Business Areas
Core Business Areas
To achieve its goals and objectives, the Ministry of Education focuses on the following core business areas:
- Public Schools — As legislated under the School Act, the Ministry provides operating funding to school boards, partner groups and societies that support the Province’s 1,666 public schools. The Ministry of Education does not provide services directly to students. The Ministry and school boards comprise a co-governance structure whereby school boards are responsible (in legislation) for the provision of education programs and for establishing performance measures for students as part of the roles and responsibilities articulated in the School Act. The K–12 system serves approximately 570,910 public school FTEs (full-time equivalents).
- Independent Schools — As legislated under the Independent School Act, the Ministry provides operating funding to 353 independent schools. The independent school system serves approximately 63,709 student FTEs. The inspector of independent schools is responsible to the Minister of Education for the administration of the Independent School Act. The inspector may authorize the inspection and evaluation of independent schools, teachers, the operations of an authority, educational programs provided by independent schools, and educational resource materials, as well as the inspection of school buildings and other buildings used in conjunction with the school.
- Debt Service and Amortization — The Ministry works with school boards to optimize capital budgets through multi-year planning, provides funds for high priority projects and monitors progress through cash flow reporting, project updates and post-completion audits. The Ministry provides funding to school boards to finance capital projects, including seismic upgrades, renovations, expansions, new facilities and buses, and as well, is responsible for debt service and amortization costs.
- Early Learning and Literacy — The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Ministry of Children and Family Development, has responsibility for improving Early Learning. In addition, as legislated under the Library Act, the Ministry provides government transfers to support the public library system. The Ministry also supports programs that promote literacy through libraries, communities, and schools.
- Management Services — This core area provides corporate services to operating programs, including financial, budget, human resources, information management, administrative services, freedom of information and privacy services, and general services and assistance for the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Advanced Education.
- Executive and Support Services — The Ministry provides leadership, develops policy and legislation, oversees system governance, sets results-based standards and develops accountability frameworks. This business area includes the Minister’s Office and Ministry Program Management.
