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Private or Public Education?
The Debate Is On in Canada By Gwen Morrison
Education in Canada consists of three territorial systems public schools, private schools and separate (denominational) schools. Mostly Roman Catholic, the separate schools accounted for about one-quarter of Canada's public school enrollment in 1995. The separate schools offer a complete parochial curriculum from kindergarten through the secondary level in most of the Canadian provinces.
All private schools are registered with the Ministry of Education in their province or territory. Families have the option of choosing schools that are boys only, girls only or co-educational. There are many private schools that offer full boarding programs. As with the separate schools, many of the private schools adhere to a specific religious faith.
"I sent my children to a private Christian school because I knew that they would be taught well academically, as well as being taught our value system, which is based on Christian principles and God's word," says Wolf. "The school promoted values such as respect for parents and authority, kindness to other children and a character of honesty and integrity."
Wolf's children attended all the various school systems, and in the end, Wolf decided she was the best one to teach her children.
"My children preferred private schools over public schools," says Wolf. "But as I was teaching other children and giving all my energy to other people's kids, I decided just to teach my own. My youngest was struggling in grade one and needed individual attention."
"We had our hearts set on private school for our girls," says Alina Kelly, a mom from Toronto, Ont. "St. Clements Girls School was a prep school we wanted our girls to start their education out in."