Module 1 – Weblog Entry #2 – Bruce Spencer

National Standards

Unlike many nations, Canada doesn’t have a national strategy for education. That’s because the federal government doesn’t have any jurisdiction over education; it handed those rights over to the provinces as part of the terms of Canadian Confederation. Hence, educational standards are set by the individual provinces/territories. As educators, many of us are probably already familiar with the various curriculum requirements for the province/territory where we live and work.

In recent years, some attempts have been made by various provincial/territorial governments to streamline certain core curriculums from across several geographic regions into one common protocol. This is probably as close as we’ll ever come to creating national standards.

 The Western and Northern Canadian Protocol Aboriginal Languages Project is one example of how cooperation between different provinces/territories can lead to the development of a common curriculum for all.

 Click here to download a pdf copy of the WNCP Framework

 Click here for an interactive map that will link you with Aboriginal Languages and Cultures Websites from across Western Canada.

 Visit the CMEC (Council of Ministers of Education Canada) for the latest developments about the status of education across Canada and from around the world.

 The Government of Canada’s Aboriginal Canada Portal website has a variety of information related to Aboriginal Language, Heritage and Culture. The webpage has a Topics Menu with plenty of topics and links to other interesting websites.