Public School System Efficient and Effective

Nova Scotia's public school system is meeting and exceeding key national education quality benchmarks, says a report from Statistics Canada that was released today, Aug. 3.

Nova Scotia saw a 5.4 per cent increase in high school graduations since 1999-2000. When the increases and decreases in high school graduation levels across the country are averaged, there has only been a 0.4 per cent national increase since 1999-2000.

The provincial pupil to educator ratio meets the national average of 16 students to one educator.

"We believe that the increase in high school graduations and the pupil to educator ratios are good measures of the quality of an education system, and this report shows that Nova Scotia is doing well," said Education Minister Karen Casey.

The Statistics Canada report deals with the seven-year period ending in 2003-04, and does not reflect many of the improvements that have occurred in the public school system since that time.

"We first implemented our Learning for Life strategies in 2003-04. Since then, we have added hundreds of new teachers, more than a million books, thousands of computers and other technologies for student use, and other student supports," said Ms. Casey. "We have introduced a pre-primary pilot program, the first in Atlantic Canada, and we have opened new schools and renovated existing institutions."

The 2006-07 provincial budget increased the per student expenditure to $8,217. Statistics Canada's report said Nova Scotia had the lowest per student expenditure, $7,189, in Canada in 2003-04.

"This government is delivering a quality education system at an affordable cost," said Ms. Casey.

Other education quality indicators, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), should also be considered.

"Nova Scotia's PISA results surpassed other provinces that have higher per student expenditures. Still, we do have room for improvement," said Ms. Casey.

The Department of Education budget for 2006-07 is $1.37 billion, an increase of $85 million over last year. The education budget supports the public school system, the Nova Scotia Community College, universities and public libraries.

The Statistics Canada report is available online at, http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/81-595-MIE/81-595-MIE2006044.pdf.