History of Education in Canada

Canadian education as we know it today had four main influences. There were influences from the French, the English, the Americans and the Scottish. Each added their own flavor to create our education system.


The French were very focused on elementary education. The taught the boys and girls separately and focused on teaching them tasks that they would need in their lives. The girls learned sewing and other tasks that they would need to run a household, while the boys received a more in-depth education. The schools were Catholic Church funded, where the male students were taught by priests and the female students taught by nuns.


The English separated their students according to class structure. Public schools were funded by rich families so their children could attend. Poorer families sent their kids to church-run schools and were taught by single women, such as widowers. 


The Americans were similar to the British. They moved to Canada during and after the War of Independence because they wanted to stay loyal to Britain. They were also separated by class structure. Essentially, the more money and power you had, the better education you received.


Lastly, the Scottish were the most democratic. Almost all of their children attended school because they wanted them all to be able to learn and have an education. They had a more extensive curriculum as well - they taught science and art with the other subjects. There were not as many Scottish immigrants to Canada, but there were groups of them that settled in the same area. The Scottish education system was easy to implement because there was no religious discrimination - the education system was almost neutral of religion.


Up until 1867, the provinces and territories all had different education systems, mainly based on their immigrant populations. After the British North America Act was passed in 1867, education was designated a provincial responsibility, so the provinces were able to continue using their education practices as before. 


During the late 1800's and early in the 1900's, people began to realize that education needed to prepare the younger generation for a more industrious life. People now lived differently than their parents had (thanks Industrial Revolution). People started moving to urban areas, and rural populations were shrinking.


During the World Wars, the government realized the need for technical schooling and set up funding programs. Students began to stay in school longer, and university became more popular. This eventually led up to where we are today!