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Canadian high school year
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Many high schools in Canada welcome international students and value them as an important part of their student body. We report on this growing education sector in Canada and profile a range of institutions.
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Mike Kliman from Richmond School District # 38 in Richmond, BC, says that most of their international students aim to complete Canadian high school graduation requirements at their schools with a view to going on to higher education. "We have an extremely good reputation as we graduate amongst the highest number in the province and our graduates have no trouble qualifying for prestigious universities worldwide," he says. "Other students come just for a Canadian cultural and language experience and study for an academic year, a semester, or in a short-term group programme."
Kliman';s experience is similar to others active in this particular education sector in Canada. Rod Matheson from West Vancouver School District # 45 in Vancouver, BC, agrees that the academic reputation of their schools is a major draw. "The schools are the highest achieving academic schools in our province and they represent exactly what foreign parents are looking for – top educational experiences for their own children," he says. "Over 80 per cent of our graduates go on to university and college and this also appeals to foreign students who are looking for access to universities."
While high school graduation programmes continue to grow in popularity, many schools report a marked rise in enrolments from younger international students too. "In the past seven years, our enrolment has grown from 200 international students in grades 8 to 12 to 600 students in kindergarten to grade 12," says Matheson, while Bonnie McKie from Surrey School District in Surrey, BC, attests, "The majority of our students are between 13 and 15 years of age. There is increasing interest and enrolment in our elementary programmes for younger students."
Mary Voulgaris from Canadian International Student Services in Toronto, ONT, which places students in private and public high schools in 120 locations, confirms that interest in Canadian high school programmes has increased year on year since the company started 10 years ago. "The popularity of our programmes is due in large part to the full service we provide," she says. "The opportunities have been designed to offer flexibility in regards to arrival, and length of stay, placement in a choice of regions, placement in an English- or French-speaking community, acceptance of students at any level of language proficiency as well as the option of International Baccalaureate programmes."
Clemens Rettich from Cowichan Valley School District # 79 in Duncan, BC, adds that the range of nationalities entering their programmes has also been expanding. "Our programme grows at a rate of five to 10 per cent per year," he explains. "We have seen a growth particularly from Latin American and European countries, especially Germany. We have excellent relationships with Japanese, Chinese and Korean families as well."
Most schools emphasise the benefits that a diverse student population can bring their school as a whole and go out of their way to create a welcoming atmosphere. Kliman says
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Contact any advertiser in the this issue now
The following language schools, associations and accommodation providers advertised in the latest edition of Language Travel Magazine. If you would like more information on any of these advertisers, tick the relevant boxes, fill out your details and send.
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