The Canadian school system explained for Nigerian parents

Your child's grade comes from their birth year

Canadian schools group children by calendar year of birth. In Ontario, children start Junior Kindergarten in the year they turn 4 and Senior Kindergarten in the year they turn 5, with 31 December as the cut off. In British Columbia, a child must turn 5 by 31 December to start Kindergarten. In Alberta the rule is set by each school board, and the large boards such as Edmonton Public also use 31 December. Check with your board before you register.

In Nigeria, most children start primary school at 6, and the minimum age for JSS1 is 10. So a 10 year old who has already started JSS1 in Port Harcourt will usually join Grade 5 or Grade 6 in Toronto or Calgary. That is not a demotion. Every child born that year is in the same grade.

Grades, ages and the Nigerian equivalent

Where elementary ends and high school begins varies by board. Some use middle schools or junior highs for Grades 7 to 9. The Nigerian column is a guide by age, because Nigerian schools differ on starting age and skipping classes.

Quebec is differentQuebec has six years of elementary school and five of secondary, ending at Secondary V, the equivalent of Grade 11. Students then go to CEGEP, a two year pre university program or a three year technical one, before university. Children of newcomers generally attend French language schools. English public school needs a certificate of eligibility, or a temporary authorisation for some families on work or study permits.

Public, Catholic and French schools

In Ontario and Alberta, Catholic schools are not private. They are publicly funded and free, run by separate boards. Ontario has 72 district school boards: 31 English public, 29 English Catholic, 4 French public and 8 French Catholic. Alberta's publicly funded system also includes public, separate and francophone schools.

Not every family qualifies for a French language or Catholic board, and the rules differ by province. Ask the board directly before you register.

The provincial tests to plan around

Alberta's diploma exams are the closest thing to WAEC. They are set by the province, and a weak exam result pulls down a course mark that universities will look at.

What it takes to graduate

• Ontario: 30 credits, 40 hours of community involvement, the literacy requirement (usually the OSSLT) and at least 2 online learning credits. Students who started Grade 9 in 2024 or later also need a technological education credit, a STEM credit and the financial literacy requirement in Grade 10.
• Alberta: at least 100 credits, including English 30, Social Studies 30, Math 20 and Science 20, Physical Education 10 and Career and Life Management.
• British Columbia: at least 80 credits, including Language Arts 10, 11 and 12, an Indigenous focused course, and the three graduation assessments.

Community hours catch many Nigerian parents out. Ask the school which activities count, and start in Grade 9, not in the spring of Grade 12.

How universities decide, without the SAT

Canadian universities admit students from Canadian high schools on their school marks. In Ontario, many programs look at the OSSD and an average of the best six Grade 12 university level courses, known as 4U and 4M courses. UBC in British Columbia uses academic Grade 11 and 12 courses. The University of Calgary uses Grade 11 and 12 courses, the 20 and 30 level, and takes the Grade 12 mark where a subject has both.

So Grade 11 counts more than many parents expect. A child who coasts through Grade 11 may have fewer options by the time they apply in Grade 12. Choose senior courses with the target program in mind, because many programs need specific Grade 12 maths or sciences.

English language support

Do not be surprised if your child is assessed for English support. In Ontario, English language learners include students who speak a variety of English that is significantly different from the English used in Ontario schools. British Columbia's policy says the same about some students whose home language is English. Ontario boards run ESL and ELD programs, and your child will usually be assessed when they arrive.

For secondary students, bring report cards, transcripts and even old exercise books. Ontario schools review records on arrival, and students entering Grade 11 or 12 from outside Ontario may be granted Grade 9 and 10 credits at the principal's discretion.

Keeping your child on track

Expect less rote learning and more discussion, projects and written explanation. A child who was top of the class in Lagos can find the reading load, the essay style or the way maths is explained unfamiliar, and quietly fall behind in the first year. Ask the teacher early how your child compares with the provincial expectations, not just how they are behaving.

At Masani, our teachers work with Canadian, Nigerian and international curricula, in one to one online lessons scheduled in your own time zone. You get a written report after every lesson and can follow progress skill by skill in the parent portal.

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