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Canada
Education
Children
between 6 and 16 must attend school, and most of them go to public
schools. Classes usually start in early September and end in late
June. There is a two-week vacation at Christmas and one-week
vacation in either February or March. Children attend school Monday
to Friday, for about six hours per day. They usually bring their
lunch with them.
There
are also private schools, but these can be quite expensive. Public
schools and separate (Catholic) schools and in some provinces, are
paid for through your taxes.
Finding
schools
The
best way to find out which schools your children should attend is by
phoning the school boards in your area. These are listed under
"Schools" in the yellow pages of your telephone book. This
choice is usually based on where you live and which system you
prefer.
Many
schools are not within walking distance, and children often take
school buses (provided by the school at minimal or no cost to you)
or public transportation to get there. This is something to consider
when choosing either a school or a place to live.
Enrolling
your children
When
you enroll your children, take their birth certificates or other
identity documents to the school. If the originals of the documents
are in languages other than English or French, you should have them
translated into English or French. Also bring their Record of
Landing (IMM 1000), or Confirmation of Permanent Residence Form
(IMM 5292), or their Permanent Residence Card, passport and any
former school and health records. You could also be asked for
immunization records.
Adult
education
Learning
is a lifelong activity in Canada, and many Canadians continue to
study as adults. Adult education is not free. Student loans are
available through the universities and colleges. You may wish to
train for a new job, or to improve the skills you already have. You
may also wish to apprentice for a trade. The qualifications for many
trades are different from province to province, and you must obtain
a licence before you can practise. Remember that some Canadian
schools will not give credit for a course or diploma obtained
outside Canada.
If
you want information on continuing education, contact the school
board, college or university in your community. Look these up in the
yellow pages of the telephone book under "Schools,"
"Colleges," and "Universities." You can also get
a list of the educational institutions in your area from an
immigrant-serving organization.
You
might also want to look up professional or trade associations in the
province where you live for information on qualifications.
To
find out more...
Other
sources of information are:
-
provincial
departments of education;
-
school
boards;
-
universities
and community colleges;
-
professional
or trade associations;
-
immigrant-serving
organizations.
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