vancouver sun article: new rules for offshore schools

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13-01-20 11:ew rules for offshore schools intended to protect B.C.’s reputation, education minister says

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Tianjin Maple Leaf International School

New rules for offshore schools intended to protectB.C.’s reputation, education minister says

BY JANET STEFFENHAGEN, VANCOUVER SUN JANUARY 18, 2013

The B.C. Education Ministry has established new rules for its offshore schools to address concerns

from teachers about grade inflation, contract violations, superficial inspections and graduates with

limited ability to speak English.

An operating manual released this week suggests private owners of B.C.-certified schools — now in

China, South Korea, Egypt, Thailand and Qatar — will be held to higher standards than before and will

be expected to produce graduates who are on a par with those educated in public and independent

schools in British Columbia.

Changes were necessary to ensure that B.C. maintains a reputation for excellent education and its

diploma, known as the Dogwood, is respected, Education Minister Don McRae said in an interview. “A

lot of our students work really hard in British Columbia to make sure their education has real value and

as a province, we have that strong reputation. I don’t want to see it ever watered down.





“There were some concerns about issues like grade inflation ... and that’s an issue that we take

seriously,” he said. “It’s really important that we hold schools that have the opportunity to grant a B.C.

Dogwood (diploma) to account. It’s really important that the Dogwood stays strong.”

Several teachers working at a B.C.-certified school in northern China contacted The Vancouver Sun in

November with allegations of grade inflation, contract violations and human-rights abuses. They said

they had reported their concerns to the ministry but were not assured of action.

McRae indicated they weren’t the only ones to complain, noting that a review of the sector began in

June.

Starting next year, students applying to offshore schools will have to pass an English-language test

before they are admitted. They will also have to pass the English 12 provincial exam and won’t be able

to rely on a high score from course work to boost their overall grade.

Offshore schools will be required to have a “twinning” relationship with a B.C. public or independent

school and one-quarter of their graduates will be expected to spend at least one semester at a school

in B.C. before the end of 2015-16.

Future applicants for B.C. certification will be required to accept students no later than Grade 8 to

ensure they have adequate time to learn English.

The ministry is promising to take a closer look at the owners and operators of offshore schools before

certification and will require recertification every year. The new manual also states that they must obey

labour, health and safety and human-rights laws in the country where the school is situated — a rule

that was not articulated clearly before — and remain in good standing with the ministry.

They must submit annual reports and allow surprise inspections, with reports from those inspections

posted on the ministry’s website for the first time.

McRae said Thursday he hadn’t heard reaction from school owners because they did not get an

advance look at the new manual. “Some of them don’t want the status quo to change,” he noted.

British Columbia had only one offshore school in 2001 when the Liberals came to power with plans for

expansion. Now, there are 34 schools with a combined enrolment of almost 10,000 students, most of

whom want to graduate with a Dogwood diploma so they can gain easy access to western universities. Another 16 schools are working toward certification.

Maple Leaf Educational Systems opened the first B.C.-certified school in Dalian in 1998 and now has

seven schools across China. It has had close ties with the ministry, even hiring two of B.C.’s

independent school inspectors to serve as Maple Leaf school superintendents.

The Tianjin Maple Leaf International School was the subject of teacher complaints about grade inflation





in November. “My grades are meaningless since they change as soon as they go into the system,” one

teacher said in an email to Kerry Pridmore, B.C.’s new international education director.

After The Sun published their complaints, several other educators expressed similar concerns. A

former vice-principal at the Dalian school suggested the problems are widespread, adding that ministry

officials would hear shocking stories if inspectors dropped in unexpectedly and asked tough questions.

But Maple Leaf superintendent George Watson said there was no pressure on B.C. teachers to inflategrades and several teachers sent emails to The Sun insisting the complaints were unfounded.

The offshore schools program is intended to draw more international students to B.C. post-secondary

schools but is not a source of revenue for the province.

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vancouver sun article: new rules for offshore schools

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