# Education in Saskatchewan

Education in Saskatchewan, Canada, teaches a curriculum of learning set out by the Government of Saskatchewan through the Ministry of Education. The curriculum sets out to develop skills, knowledge and understanding to improve the quality of life. On June 22, 1915, Hon. Walter Scott, Premier and Minister of Education, set out as his mandate the "purpose of procuring for the children of Saskatchewan a better education and an education of greater service and utility to meet the conditions of the chief industry in the Province, which is agriculture". Education facilitates the cultural and regional socialization of an individual through the realisation of their self-potential and latent talents. Historically, the region of Saskatchewan needed successful homesteaders so the focus was to develop a unified language for successful economic trading, and agricultural understanding to develop goods, livestock and cash crops to trade. After the mechanized advancements following the Industrial Revolution and World War II, the primary employment agriculture sector of farming was not as labour-intensive. Individuals focused on secondary industries such as manufacturing and construction, as well as tertiary employment like transportation, trade, finance and services. Schools became technologically more advanced and adapted to supply resources for this growing demand and change of focus.
Education in Saskatchewan is generally divided as Elementary (primary school, public school), followed by Secondary (high school) and Post-secondary (university, college). Within the province under the Ministry of Education, there are district school boards administering the educational programs.

## History

The history of education in this region, North West Territories, began officially in 1885 with Territorial Ordinance #5. North West Territorial Schools Districts or One Room School Houses replaced trading post schooling, missionary schools and private schooling of the past. Moose Jaw School District #1 was formally established December 5, 1884 under the new Board of Education. The 1944 School Act set out to establish larger consolidated schools and the formation of the schools and school districts presently in use. As with any Canadian province, the Saskatchewan Legislature has almost exclusive authority to make laws respecting education. Since 1905, the Legislature has used this capacity to continue the model of locally elected public and separate school boards which originated before 1905, as well as to create and/or regulate universities, colleges, technical institutions and other educational forms and institutions (public charter schools, private schools, home schooling). For historians and genealogists, previous school district records have been submitted to the Saskatchewan Provincial Archives Regina Branch.

## Pre-school

Pre-school in Saskatchewan is relatively unregulated, and is not compulsory. The first exposure many children have to learning with others outside of traditional parenting is day care or a parent run playgroup. This sort of activity is not generally considered "schooling". Pre-school education is separate from primary school. Pre-schools are usually run by local councils, community groups or private organisations. Pre-school is offered to three- to five-year-olds, although voluntary attendance numbers vary widely. The year before a child is due to attend primary school is the main year for pre-school education. This year is far more commonly attended, and usually takes the form of a few hours of activity five days a week.

## Primary and secondary education

Schools providing primary education are more often referred to as elementary schools or grade schools. Primary and secondary education under the header of K-12 education (K is for kindergarten, 12 is for grade 12). A system of grades is used to describe the various stages of education. Grades are generally known by cardinal number, e.g., grade 12.
Typically, primary education is provided in schools, where the child will stay in steadily advancing classes until they complete it and move on to secondary schooling. Children are usually placed in classes with one teacher who will be primarily responsible for their education and welfare for that year. This teacher may be assisted to varying degrees by specialist teachers in certain subject areas, often music or physical education. The continuity with a single teacher and the opportunity to build up a close relationship with the class is a notable feature of the primary education system. Pursuant to The Education Act, school attendance is compulsory for children between the ages of 7 and 16 years. In addition, schooling is provided to anyone between the ages of 6 and 21 years. Both primary and secondary education are free.
High school, secondary school, école secondaire, collegiate institute generally begin from grade 9 through 12 and education is compulsory between the ages of 7 and 16 years according to Saskatchewan's Education Act, 1995 Section 149. However, anyone between the ages of 6 and 21 years "has the right",
* (a) "to attend school in the school division where that person or that persons parents or guardians reside"; and
* (b) "to receive instruction appropriate to that persons age and level of educational achievement" $^{EducationActofSaskatchewan.}$through either school board system. The schools are divided by religion, publicly funded by a separate school board for Catholic-based education or publicly funded by a public school board or families may choose to pay for their education at eight private high schools.
In most cases the elementary school ends at grade eight, and high school provides grades nine through twelve; however, there are some exceptions where there is a middle school provided.
From 1889 to 1920s the school class organisation was for elementary levels; Standard I, II, III, IV and V; followed by secondary school beginning at Standard VI. Standard X corresponded to a junior or Class 3 provincial certificate, Standard XI would give a Middle, Class 2 provincial certificate, and finally Standard XII would result in a Senior, Class 1 provincial certificate. A level of attainment of at least Class 3 Standard was needed to teach during this time.

## Normal ages

Organization of classes :
| Level | Division | Grade |
| Primary | Division I | Grades one, two, and three |
| Intermediate | Division II | Grades four, five, and six |
| Junior high school | Division III | Grades seven, eight and nine |
| Senior High School or collegiate institute | Division IV | Grades ten, eleven and twelve |

### Elementary

* Pre-School: 4-5 year olds
* Kindergarten: 5-6 year olds
* Grade 1: 6-7 year olds
* Grade 2: 7-8 year olds
* Grade 3: 8-9 year olds
* Grade 4: 9-10 year olds
* Grade 5: 10-11 year olds
* Grade 6: 11-12 year olds
* Grade 7: 12-13 year olds
* Grade 8: 13-14 year olds

### Secondary

* Grade 9: 14-15 year olds
* Grade 10: 15-16 year olds
* Grade 11: 16-17 year olds
* Grade 12: 17- 21 year olds

## Saskatchewan school divisions

During the era of one room school houses, school districts numbered over 5,000 with the attendant administrative costs. Following the 1944 School Act and 1945 Larger School Unit Act Saskatchewan began larger school consolidation. The one room school house district began to close down in favour of the larger, technologically advanced consolidated school in the neighboring urban centre.
Now there are 28 school divisions and 3 geographical regions. Each school region has a Regional Director, Regional Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Regional Superintendent of Children's Services and Office Manager. Each school division will have a board chair, Director and Secretary-Treasurer. These are the administrative branches which oversee the provision of the physical school building, staffing and also implement the policies and curricula set out by the Government of Saskatchewan Ministry of Education. Each school division administers a number of regional schools. There are four main school board division designations.
* Public School Divisions
* Separate School Divisions
* Francophone School Division
* Protestant School Division