Changes Coming to High School Graduation Requirements
The Government of Saskatchewan is implementing changes to high school graduation requirements in Saskatchewan to provide students with more choice and flexibility in their education.
These changes will be implemented in the 2024-25 school year and will affect students entering Grade 10 in September 2024:
- a new credit requirement at the high school level for a course that focuses on financial literacy;
- a change in the number of required credits for English language arts (ELA);
- a change in the number of required credits for social sciences; and
- an increase in the number of electives students require to graduate.
The changes are based on insight and recommendations received from the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation; League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents; First Nation Education Authorities; post-secondary institutions; various Chambers of Commerce and parents. The feedback suggested that students require additional credit flexibility to learn subjects they are passionate about to help them successfully enter the workforce. These changes align Saskatchewan education standards to those across Canada.
“Allowing students more personal choice in their learning to better prepare them for their futures and getting Saskatchewan back to basics is a positive step forward,” Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “We have heard from the education sector that students need to be prepared for a rapidly changing labour market by focusing on the development of transferrable skills in areas such as financial literacy.”
A new grade 10 Financial Literacy credit will provide the building blocks for students to understand personal finance and the economy. Adding a financial literacy credit also aligns with the majority of Canadian jurisdictions that require students to learn about financial literacy.
A change to the number of required credits for English language arts (ELA), from five to three, with one requirement at each of the grades 10, 11 and 12 levels will bring Saskatchewan into alignment with other provinces, including British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario, which all require three ELA credits to graduate.
Required credits for social sciences will change from three to two and will bring Saskatchewan into alignment with other jurisdictions. British Columbia and Manitoba each require two credits, while Ontario requires 1.5 credits.
The number of credits required to graduate has not changed and Saskatchewan students will still require 24 credits to graduate. Students will now have more choice and flexibility in how they achieve those 24 required credits. The number of required high school credits remains the same for all other subject areas.
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