Education
Universities | Colleges of
Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT)
The Ontario education system is based on publicly funded
elementary and secondary schools administered by district
school boards, which adapt provincial educational policies
to local institutions. Theses district boards ensure the provision
of adequate teaching and support staff and appropriate facilities.
Elected members of the board, called trustees, represent the
local community, providing a link between electors and the
education system.
District School Boards operate using the boundary system.
Based on home address, students will go to a designated school
within the neighborhood. Also, most of the GTA District School
Boards assist families and students new to Canada.
There are two parallel public school systems – one
is non-denominational and referred to as the “Public”
system and the other is for Roman Catholics and referred to
as the “Separate” system. The separate system
is designed to reinforce the teaching of the Catholic Church
while adopting the same educational standards as the public
system. Both systems provide full-time French immersion programs.
The public systems are excellent and the vast majority of
Canadian children attend these schools.
Elementary Schools (ages 4 - 13) offer primary
school program from junior kindergarten to Grade 8.
Secondary Schools (ages 14 - 20) offer curriculum
from Grade 9 to Grade 12 preparing the students for admission to universities.
The standards of primary and secondary schooling in the province
are also recognized as high. The Third Annual International
Math and Science Study (TIMSS), an international test that
compares secondary school students, ranked Ontario students
4th among 21 advanced countries and well above their counterparts
in the United States in mathematics. (Source: International
Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement
(IEA), Trends in Mathematics and Science Study, 2003).
Private Schools: there are many prestigious
private schools within the Greater Toronto Area. These private
schools offer a variety of primary and secondary school programs.
Operators of private schools in Ontario are required to notify
the Ministry of Education annually of their intention to operate.
The Ministry of Education does not inspect health equipment
or practices related to safety and staffing issues, but may
inspect issues relating to the standard of instruction for
secondary schools.
Some schools offer the International Baccalaureate
(IB) program for advanced placement in universities worldwide.
The International
Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is a non-profit international
educational organization that was established in 1968 and
is headquartered in Switzerland. The IBO works with schools,
governments and international organizations to develop challenging
programs of international education and rigorous assessment.
The IBO offers to schools three programs of international
education that span the primary, middle and secondary school
years. The Primary Years Program (PYP) is designed for students
aged 3-12, the Middle Years Program (MYP) for students aged
11-16, and the Diploma Program (DP) for students aged 16-19.
Recipients of the IB diploma enjoy a high rate of acceptance
at leading universities.
IB programs are offered by 1,468 schools in 119 countries
around the world. In the Greater Toronto Area, there are 14
public schools and 5 private schools offering IB programs.
| Bayview
Secondary School |
Richmond
Hill |
Diploma |
Public |
| Branksome
Hall |
Toronto |
Diploma |
Independent |
| Branksome
Hall School |
Toronto |
PYP |
Private
|
| Glenforest
Secondary School |
Mississauga |
Diploma |
Public |
| Harrison
Public Elementary School |
Toronto |
PYP |
Public |
| Le College
Francais |
Toronto |
Diploma |
Public |
| Michael
Power - St. Joseph High School |
Toronto |
Diploma |
Public |
| Notre
Dame Secondary School |
Brampton |
Diploma |
Public |
| Pope
John Paul II Catholic Secondary School |
Toronto |
Diploma |
Public |
| Robert
Bateman High School |
Burlington |
Diploma |
Public |
| St. Robert
Catholic High School |
Thornhill |
Diploma |
Public |
| St. Francis
Xavier Secondary School |
Mississauga |
Diploma |
Public |
| Sunnybrook
School |
Toronto |
PYP |
Public |
| The York
School |
Toronto |
Diploma |
Private |
| The York
School |
Toronto |
MYP |
Private |
| The York
School |
Toronto |
PYP |
Private |
| Toronto
French School |
Toronto |
Diploma |
Private |
| Turner
Fenton Campus |
Brampton |
Diploma |
Public |
| Upper
Canada College |
Toronto |
Diploma |
Private |
| Upper
Canada College |
Toronto |
PYP |
Private |
| Vaughan
Road Academy |
Toronto |
Diploma |
Public |
| Vaughan
Road Academy |
Toronto |
MYP |
Public |
| Victoria
Park Secondary School |
Toronto |
Diploma |
Public |
| Weston
Collegiate Institute |
Toronto |
Diploma |
Public |
Source: International Baccalaureate
Organization Website, March 2005.
The Toronto region benefits from a superb level of undergraduate
and graduate educational opportunities, provided by eleven
publicly funded post-secondary institutions, including 5 Universities
and 6 Colleges.
Universities
The Greater Toronto Area is home to five post-secondary institutions
that deliver university degree-level programs and further
the region’s reputation for academic excellence. Macleans
Magazine regularly rank GTA Universities among the best.
| University
of Toronto |
The U of T is Canada's
largest university, with a high international profile.
Its main downtown campus is tightly integrated into the
city's urban life and offers a rich cultural experience,
attracting students from every corner of the world. There
are also three suburban campuses. The Rotman School of
Management at U of T is ranked among the world's best
and according to the Macleans 2004 survey, U of T ranks
1st in the "leaders of tomorrow" category. |
47,459 |
| York
University |
York University
is Canada's third largest university. It is home to the
Schulich School of Business, ranked as Canada's top MBA
program and Osgoode Hall Law School, Canada's oldest law
school and home of the country's largest law library. |
34,101 |
| Ryerson
University |
Ryerson University
offers 40 degree programs within five faculties. The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is Canada's leading provider
of university-based adult learning. |
12,451 |
| Ontario
College of Art and Design (OCAD) |
Founded in 1876,
OCAD is Canada's largest university of Art and Design,
and the third largest such post secondary institution
in North America. |
1,921 |
| University
of Ontario Institute of Technology
(UOIT) |
Having opened in
September 2003, UOIT is Ontario's newest university. Rapid
expansion is planned, with enrolment expected to reach
6,500 by 2010. UOIT offers 29 programs in fields as diverse
as Criminology and Nuclear Engineering. |
940 |
Sources: University Websites,
Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
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Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology
(CAAT)
The Greater Toronto Area has six Colleges of Applied Arts
and Technology, also referred to as community colleges. These
colleges offer a great variety of degree programs, certificate
programs, continuing education, distance learning, and co-operative
programs. Some offer unique opportunities, such as Sheridan
Institute’s world-renowned Computer Animation program.
| Seneca
College |
Seneca offers co-op
programs in technical communication, accounting, finance,
chemical technology and marketing administration. Leading
areas of study include biotechnology and pharmaceutical
studies, business, computer sciences and health sciences. |
29,472 |
| Humber
Institute |
In addition a full
range of academic programs, Humber delivers customized
corporate training and has established business-to-business
partnerships. The college also offers 175 Online courses. |
25,450 |
| Sheridan
Institute |
Sheridan has six
academic schools focused on visualization design, digital
technologies, e-commerce, advanced manufacturing, community
services and corporate training. Shift magazine's 2002
Guide to Digital Education heralded Sheridan as the "Best"
and "Most Famous We've Got" among Canadian schools. |
23,188 |
| Centennial
College |
One of the most
culturally diverse post-secondary institutions in Canada,
Centennial offers as an array of certificate, diploma
and applied degree programs. |
21,202 |
| George
Brown College |
Known as "The City
College", George Brown offers programs leading to Bachelor's
degrees, diplomas, certificates and apprenticeships aligned
with GTA sectors. There are more than 700 Continuing Education
credit courses available. |
19,181 |
| Durham
College |
Durham College has
close to 100 career-focused programs, examples include
Business Administration, Dental Hygiene, Graphic Design,
Law & Security Administration, Mechanical Techniques-Precision
Machining, Network Cabling Specialist Apprenticeship,
Nursing-Collaborative (B.Sc.N.), Sports Administration
and Web Developer. |
10,582 |
Sources: College Websites , Ontario
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
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